I remember the youth movement in 1968. It started on American university campuses as a protest against the Vietnam war, then came to Paris, Frankfurt and Berlin. Within a year, you had an uprising of youth against their elders.

Particularly since the computerization of the world, the impact of media has grown enormously. The printed books and the printed media have become less important. Why should somebody read Laozi or Confucius if he can Google?

Whoever wants to reach a distant goal must take many small steps.

The critical thing about Western democracy is the fact that you usually have a transition of power without bloodshed. That is an enormous advantage. But still, democracy as we know it was only invented recently in the West, historical speaking. It did not really work in ancient Rome. It functioned for less than 200 years in ancient Athens.

What I've realized is that, especially in Los Angeles, a lot of people are on some kind of path, even if they're not completely conscious of it. I've sort of always been on a path to find more peace, more security within myself. I've always felt like I needed something to help me feel better.

There are many people who feel that it is useless and futile to continue talking about peace and non-violence against a government whose only reply is savage attacks on an unarmed and defenseless people.

Political satire became obsolete when Henry Kissinger was awarded the Nobel peace prize.

I just always have to cry out a breakup, and then I can make peace with it pretty quickly.