“I don't think I ever would have had the confidence in myself to even pick up the pen. I would have continued to believe that this wasn't something that could ever be real for me. That one small bit of encouragement had such a huge impact on my life. It made me realize how sometimes it really is the little stuff that's most important, and we never know how significant our encouragement can be in someone else's life.”
— Nicole Stott
NASA Astronaut & ISS Expedition Crew Member

The quote archive

Politics

A growing archive of 3,000+ moments, drawn from every interview.

We've entered a geopolitical recession, where the old US led world-order is unwinding. This isn't just a Trump issue- it's about Europe, BREXIT, about Russia undermining the US and the West, the rise of China and its alternative political and economic models.

— Ian Bremmer

Founder of Eurasia Group & Political Risk Analyst

In the United States, we had over $940 billion dollars of fraud in 2017, that's almost $1 trillion. There isn't enough law enforcement in the world to deal with that.

— Frank Abagnale

Notorious con artist and impostor who inspired the film "Catch Me If You Can

People who haven't benefitted from decades of neo-liberal prosperity are right in their assessment that democracy does work for certain people, but not for them.

— Darren McGarvey

Scottish Writer, Broadcaster & Anti-Poverty Activist & Poet

It's a very precarious situation we're in right now; and the biproduct of our current policies is that a tidal wave of radioactive social problems is coming. I worry that we'll just repeat the mistakes of the past where drug addictions, drug related deaths, alcoholism and suicide spike out of control.

— Darren McGarvey

Scottish Writer, Broadcaster & Anti-Poverty Activist & Poet

Today's politicians can't lead public opinion, because they're frightened of it – and we're so consumed by constitutional crises, that there's just no real chance that politicians can give these issues sufficient thought.

— Darren McGarvey

Scottish Writer, Broadcaster & Anti-Poverty Activist & Poet

Currently, public services are extraordinarily hostile to those in poverty; a doctrine we've seen clearly in how the Home Office has handled the Windrush generation. This ideology believes people will respond positively to being treated with hostility; but that only works for emotionally regulated people who didn't grow-up in adversity. Our public services are emotionally illiterate.

— Darren McGarvey

Scottish Writer, Broadcaster & Anti-Poverty Activist & Poet

Our technological distraction is a first order political problem, worldwide. If digital media has become the lens through which we understand and engage with others, we need to figure out how to make that the right kind of lens.

— James Williams

The concentration of power in technology corporations is a moral and political problem that we simply don't have a precedent for. More people use Facebook than speak English for example, so the implications of Facebook, as just one platform, are at the scale of language itself.

— James Williams

I've described celebrities as being 'double agents of the patriarchy,' and whilst things are getting better- and language is changing, we are still not always calling out those who fat shame or age shame women.

— Jameela Jamil

Actress & Mental Health Advocate; Host of "The Good Place

There has been a pathetic failure of governments to invest in educating people about the rights that they hold and enjoy; I suspect because if people knew their rights, they would claim them and put the governments of the world under pressure.

— Kumi Naidoo

Environmental activist & former Executive Director of Greenpeace International

The sad reality is that if we tried to pass that declaration today, the UN General Assembly would fail to do so. Firstly, we don't have someone like Eleanor Roosevelt as an advocate for human rights, and where previously the US played a leadership role, Trump would no doubt block virtually every human rights pillar associated with the declaration.

— Kumi Naidoo

Environmental activist & former Executive Director of Greenpeace International

When you don't know your self-worth, you're more docile and easier to control by the 'machine.' That's the cult-like structure society is built around.

— Rose McGowan

Actress & #MeToo activist who exposed Harvey Weinstein harassment

People in power live in fear of their power being taken away, and they fight like bears in a cage that are being backed into a corner. I had no idea how hard those in power would fight me, and it's an extraordinarily difficult thing to be on the receiving end of.

— Rose McGowan

Actress & #MeToo activist who exposed Harvey Weinstein harassment

I don't think there is anything about putting your country first that requires you to turn your back on the rest of the world. If anything, the opposite is true.

— Melinda Gates

Co-Founder of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Global Health Advocate

Free trade, openness, security, and a stable government framework have been the key factors behind the emergence of Dubai as an international business hub.

— Hussain Sajwani

Founder and Chairman of Damac Properties, major UAE real estate developer

In reality, India is not as divided as you might think… hundreds of millions of Muslims live and work in India, they are friends with people in and out of their community, and just live normal lives like anyone else.

— Chetan Bhagat

Indian Author & Novelist Known for Best-Selling Fiction Books