“[I]f [we] believe in [ourselves], [we] can accomplish anything.”

“In order to be able to accomplish anything new, the first thing we need to do is to teach ourselves... not to be so afraid.”

“For desired conclusions, we ask ourselves, "Can I believe this?", but for unpalatable conclusions we ask, "Must I believe this?”

“The enchanted day is only enchanted if we ourselves believe that anything is possible.”

“He looked down at the glass again. ‘I care that these things happen, that we poison ourselves and our progeny, that we knowingly destroy our future, but I do not believe that there is anything - and I repeat, anything - that can be done to prevent it. We are a nation of egoists. It is our glory, but it will be our destruction, for none of us can be made to concern ourselves about something as abstract as “the common good”. The best of us can rise to feeling concern for our families, but as a nation we are incapable of more.’‘I refuse to believe that.’ Brunetti said.‘Your refusal to believe it,’ the Count said with a smile that was almost tender, ‘makes it no less true, Guido.”

“We can lie to ourselves, saying we believe one thing, and sometimes we convince other's it's true, with the hope that by convincing others, we can convince ourselves. Wars are often waged not because of what we believe, but because of the things we want others to believe.”