Those who criticise China have a case to complain about the contributory role the country's authoritarian system played in the spread of the pandemic, but that very system also allowed authorities to get a quick grip on it and bring it under control with impressive efficiency.
— Yonden Lhatoo“White people have nothing to fear from understanding their history- they're not responsible for it. It's like having therapy… it's understanding our past behaviours so that we don't repeat them. I think we need to face up to our imperial history for the same reasons.”— Sathnam Sanghera
The quote archive
Wisdom in fragments
A growing archive of 3,000+ moments, drawn from every interview.
Last week I was asked to help the NHS get video-consultations up and running in every GP practice in the country, in one week.
— Professor Trish GreenhalghProfessor of Evidence-Based Medicine & Implementation Science at Oxford University
It's a roll of the dice whenever one of these novel viruses emerges; sometimes they will be severe and contagious enough to cause a problem, and this one is.
— Gideon LichfieldThe world lacks creative imagination when it comes to mother nature- we believe that we have the power to bend nature to our desires and forget that we're vulnerable. Nature is a combination of biology, physics and chemistry- they are collectively much stronger at bending the world than we are.
— Professor Michael OsterholmLeading infectious disease epidemiologist and pandemic preparedness expert
Read a lot. Never accept current standards. Always improve yourself. And remember, you always meet twice in life.
— Nico RosbergFormer Formula 1 World Champion, won 2016 title with Mercedes
For me it is extremely important that commercial interests and social benefits are not mutually exclusive, but that they can complement each other wonderfully so I always look out for products that are innovative, forward-thinking and offer a true value for society.
— Nico RosbergFormer Formula 1 World Champion, won 2016 title with Mercedes
From a global point of view, we are currently in the middle of a technical revolution similar to what our grandparents experienced when everybody switched their horse carts for cars. The same is happening now and it is a phase of transition for many businesses.
— Nico RosbergFormer Formula 1 World Champion, won 2016 title with Mercedes
When you have children, you have to ask yourself what the world will look like in the next 80-100 years, because people get that old these days if everything goes well. Last but not least, as a father I see it as my responsibility to think about my actions and my motives.
— Nico RosbergFormer Formula 1 World Champion, won 2016 title with Mercedes
Having grown up and worked in this environment, I strongly believe there is a solution to everything as long as you are not willing to accept a status quo and constantly look for better results.
— Nico RosbergFormer Formula 1 World Champion, won 2016 title with Mercedes
Had I not defended it and stood by it, I think it could have disappeared into history- but because I protected it, stood up for it, believed in it and understood why it existed and what it had done? That's why it still remains.
— Tracey EminBritish artist known for provocative conceptual and autobiographical works
There's a beauty in the truth which is undeniable. It's a tragedy in a way- sometimes we just need to understand what the hell we've truly lost.
— Tracey EminBritish artist known for provocative conceptual and autobiographical works
True art, real art, real creativity, comes from somewhere else. It isn't about a picture or decoration- there's a divinity to it…
— Tracey EminBritish artist known for provocative conceptual and autobiographical works
Most people would have a nervous breakdown if they didn't have their phone for a day; I would have a total breakdown if there was no culture, no art. I couldn't live without art, it would be impossible.
— Tracey EminBritish artist known for provocative conceptual and autobiographical works
Art is a vocation for me, not a career, not a job… you wouldn't say to a nun. 'so, how did you get into God?'
— Tracey EminBritish artist known for provocative conceptual and autobiographical works
I'm 65 years old, and one of the things that amazes me is the number of people who work to get to a certain level of success in showbusiness, and then quit to go play golf?! There is nothing else I would want to do in this world.
— Penn JilletteMagician, Illusionist & Half of Penn & Teller Duo
Even when I was 16, if you had asked me what I wanted most in the world – I would have said, '…to be able to do shows, and have people watch them.' Realistically, for my level of ability, talent and work-ethic, we expected about 200 people a night to come and see us.
— Penn JilletteMagician, Illusionist & Half of Penn & Teller Duo