“The most elementary of good manners . . . at a social gathering one does not bring up the subject of personalities, sad topics or unfortunate facts, religion, or politics.”

“Most of us care about one another. Human beings have considerably more in common with one another than they do differences. One’s religion, political persuasion, family, financial and social status, or vocation does not hamper the common thread of personal decency running through most of humankind.”

“Food-- like sex, politics, and religion-- is an intensely personal, emotional, and complicated subject.”

“The social order will be all the more stable, the more it takes this fact into account and does not place in opposition personal interest and the interests of society as a whole, but rather seeks ways to bring them into fruitful harmony. In fact, where self-interest is violently suppressed, it is replaced by a burdensome system of bureaucratic control which dries up the wellsprings of initiative and creativity. When people think they possess the secret of a perfect social organization which makes evil impossible, they also think that they can use any means, including violence and deceit, in order to bring that organization into being. Politics then becomes a "secular religion" which operates under the illusion of creating paradise in this world.”

“It is leashed. Now drop the subject or I’ll tell Sin you’ve seen me naked. (Kat)I will never bring this topic up again. Oh wait. What topic? I have Alzheimer’s. I know nothing at all. (Kish)”

“Social gatherings can serve three purposes: networking, gossip, or politics. Many care about the social, some about the gatherings, and a few about neither...”