“If citizens followed their leaders' example throughout history, the human race would have died out centuries ago.”

“The three most charismatic leaders in this century inflicted more suffering on the human race than almost any trio in history: Hitler, Stalin, and Mao. What matters is not the leader's charisma. What matters is the leader's mission.”

“The United States of America was once a great nation... but this United States is not the one our founding fathers set out to build over 200 years ago. This United States stands for everything its citizens have fought against throughout its history: oppression, unwarranted violence against innocent and weaker countries or its own citizens, trampling of human rights, crooked legal systems, and socialism.”

“They did what human beings looking for freedom, throughout history, have often done. They left.”

“Unlike the uneducated Christian followers from centuries ago, the typical Christian today has a particularly high level of suspicion of organized religion, including an acute sensitivity to hypocrisy. Leaders who think otherwise today won’t lead many.”

“But I did get to see the sunrise from 36,000 feet above the ground, and it occurred to me that until a century ago, no one in all of human history had ever seen that.”