“The only real radicalism in our time will come as it always has—from people who insist on thinking for themselves and who reject party-mindedness.”

“The matter on which I judge people is their willingness, or ability, to handle contradiction. Thus Paine was better than Burke when it came to the principle of the French revolution, but Burke did and said magnificent things when it came to Ireland, India and America. One of them was in some ways a revolutionary conservative and the other was a conservative revolutionary. It's important to try and contain multitudes. One of my influences was Dr Israel Shahak, a tremendously brave Israeli humanist who had no faith in collectivist change but took a Spinozist line on the importance of individuals. Gore Vidal's admirers, of whom I used to be one and to some extent remain one, hardly notice that his essential critique of America is based on Lindbergh and 'America First'—the most conservative position available. The only real radicalism in our time will come as it always has—from people who insist on thinking for themselves and who reject party-mindedness.”

“If the communist party under the leadership of Joma Sison insists on being too radical, too incorrigible, they will fail. They will, as the saying goes, "die on the vine." They will wither and be forgotten. The people themselves will reject them. They should instead abide by the people's interest...”

“The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist the Internet is wonderful are those who need it to give their life meaning.”

“Any man who has the brains to think and the nerve to act for the benefit of the people of the country is considered a radical by those who are content with stagnation and willing to endure disaster.”

“Two thousand million people in the world, and the one who has to decide their fate is is the only one who's always hidden from me.”