The old exhortations to nationalist fervor and jingoist pride have begun to lose their appeal. Perhaps because of rising standards of living, children are being treated better worldwide. In only a few decades, sweeping global changes have begun to move in precisely the directions needed for human survival. A new consciousness is developing which recognizes that we are one species.

The existence of excessive nationalism is a symptom of a deeper problem in the collective consciousness, which is continually being exploited.

A felicidade nunca é graciosa.Happiness is never gracious.

Mankind were intended to be happy... that government being only the means of securing freedom and happiness to the people, whenever it deviates from this end, and their freedom and happiness are in great danger of being irrevocably lost, the government is no longer entitled to their allegiance. ("The Principles of an American Whig"-1777)

Writers write to influence their readers, their preachers, their auditors, but always, at bottom, to be more themselves.

There were the years_ years of childhood and innocence_ when I had believed that carminative meant_ well, carminative. And now, before me lies the rest of my life_ a day, perhaps, ten years, half a century, when I shall know that carminative means windtreibend.