Men get very fond of the things they defend, especially when they find themselves defending something stupid.


Theodore Sturgeon in his wonderful short story, The Widget, The Wadget, and Boff 

They who retire themselves from the common offices, from that infinite number of troublesome rules that fetter a man of exact honesty in civil life, are in my opinion very discreet.

Montaigne

He strikes at all who fears all.

Emperor Claudius, as quoted by Montaigne

Emptiness is not nothingness. Emptiness is a type of existence.

Cixin Liu, The Three-Body Problem