“What unites conservatives and modernizers and young and old, is a hunger not for freedom but for justice; for genuine rule of law, not rule by royal whim. They want a government that is a transparent and accountable, one that provides standards services such as are available in far less wealthy societies: good education, job, affordable housing , and decent health care.”

“Saudis of all sorts recent having to beg princes for favors to secure services that should be a public right”

“The Al Saud believe they have an asset more powerful than the ballot box: they have Allah.”

“You got three choices in life: be good, get good or give up.”

“On Prozac, Sisyphus might well push the boulder back up the mountain with more enthusiasm and creativity. I do not want to deny the benefits of psychoactive medication. I just want to point out that Sisyphus is not a patient with a mental health problem. To see him as a patient with a mental health problem is to ignore certain larger aspects of his predicament connected to boulders, mountains, and eternity.”

“It's the basic truth of the human condition: everybody lies.”

“Pain makes us make bad decisions. Fear or pain is almost as big of a motivator.”