Alain de Botton

A city like London is sociable in a sense that there are people gathering in bars and restaurants, concerts and lectures. Yet you can partake of all these experiences and never say hello to anyone new. And one of the things that all religions do is take groups of strangers into a space and say it is OK to talk to each other. ”

I assemble my ideas in pieces on a computer file, then gradually find a place for them on a piece of scaffolding I erect. ”

At 'The School of Life', we take seriously anything that has to do with human fulfilment - and take note wherever insight on this subject can be found. ”

Parents don't reveal how often they have bitten their tongue, fought back the tears, or been too tired to take off their clothes after a day of childcare. The parent loves, but they do not expect the favour to be returned in any significant way. ”

I've had my successes and failures. I know many academics in my field loathe me. I've come to loathe them back, as it seems only polite to do so. But at heart it's absurd; we should band together against the big common enemies. ”

Trying to be a sort of intellectual in the public arena is very irritating to people. They think, 'Why is this bugger on television?' ”

I was a very un-literary child, which might reassure parents with kids who don't read. ”

The humanities have been forced to disguise, both from themselves and their students, why their subjects really matter, for the sake of attracting money and prestige in a world obsessed by the achievements of science. ”

I like the values associated with a medical family - common sense, being practical but also thoughtful. ”

On paper, being good sounds great but a lot depends on the atmosphere of the workplace or community we live in. We tend to become good or bad depending on the cues sent out within a particular space. ”