Timothy Snyder, On Tyranny: To abandon facts is to abandon freedom. If nothing is true, then all is spectacle. The biggest wallet pays for the most blinding lights.
Marcek Proust, In Search of Lost Time: We construct our lives for one person, and when at length it is ready to receive her that person does not come; presently she is dead to us, and we live on, prisoners within the walls which were intended only for her.
Become yourself: A talented person can quickly become mediocre when you force them to be someone they aren’t… You do your best work and have the most fun when you’re not burdened by fear that someone else thinks you’re doing it wrong. You measure how you’re doing against your personal benchmarks, which can both push you to your potential and prevent you from chasing someone else’s. You have a much better shot of getting what you want out of life. Which, again, is all that really matters.