"My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires."

"Art is the signature of civilizations."

"A primary function of art and thought is to liberate the individual from the tyranny of his culture in the environmental sense and to permit him to stand beyond it in an autonomy of perception and judgment."

"Anger begins with folly, and ends with repentance."

"Money is the best rule of commerce."

"There's something that's sexy about a guy who has the strength to kill somebody, but is also vulnerable enough to be in love. It's just those two sides - like, I don't know why, but women for some reason aren't attracted to normal guys, like, guys who are in between."

"I force people to have coffee with me, just because I don't trust that a friendship can be maintained without any other senses besides a computer or cellphone screen."

"The contrasts between what is spent today to educate a child in the poorest New York City neighborhoods, where teacher salaries are often even lower than the city averages, and spending levels in the wealthiest suburban areas are daunting challenges to any hope New Yorkers might retain that even semblances of fairness still prevail."