Everyone writes in Tolstoy's shadow, whether one feels oneself to be Tolstoyan or not.
Self-respect is the fruit of discipline; the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself.
To me, 'The End of the Jews' - both the title and the novel itself - is about the end of pat, uncritical ways of understanding oneself in the world.
I've hung on for a long time in this business and had some success, and I think it's keeping an open mind and being curious and having a sense of humor about oneself that's important.
Belief in oneself is incredibly infectious. It generates momentum, the collective force of which far outweighs any kernel of self-doubt that may creep in.
In America, everybody thinks they're an entrepreneur. That's the problem. It's not a title that anybody should call oneself.
To understand is to forgive, even oneself.
What makes Reddit special is that people feel free to express themselves. Where we want to draw the line is where that feeling of being able to express oneself freely starts to infringe on someone feeling like they can express themselves.
One writes to make a home for oneself, on paper, in time and in others' minds.
I always have a very strong sense of shaming oneself, and you can do that a lot in the public eye, so it's best avoided at all costs I think.
