To the extent I am known, I think I am known as a person who expresses his opinion freely about things – and I was sensitive to the possibility that if I was seen taking money for saying nice things about a product, my comments and choices and opinions would become, understandably, suspect.

I have to write because if I don’t get something down then after a while I feel it’s going to bang the side of my head off.

What’s the greater risk? Letting go of what people think – or letting go of how I feel, what I believe, and who I am?

I don’t want to express my opinion about actual politics, because if I do, I have to be responsible for my decision.

I’ve always appreciated a turn of phrase.

Science is the father of knowledge, but opinion breeds ignorance.

To remain a credible leader, I must always work first, hardest, and longest on changing myself. This is neither easy nor natural, but it is essential.

I don’t want to be fake. I’m just being me. And I have the power to break stereotypes and whatever useless rules that society puts on us.

Words, words, mere words, no matter from the heart.

It’s important for me to let my fans know I really don’t care. I’m confident.

I’m always attracted to people who interest me. They’ve got to be people who are really true to themselves somehow, and who are always trying to do something that makes their life more interesting, or better, or something for somebody else. They’re interested in people.

To be honest, there are no problems between me and Messi. People have their own opinions about who they think is the better player. It is what it is, but there is no rivalry beyond games and what happens on the pitch.

There’s a common perception among college administrators that they should conceal the high level of sexual assaults that take place on their campuses because it would bring discredit to the university, bring them a bad name if it was publicized.

No one means all he says, and yet very few say all they mean, for words are slippery and thought is viscous.

Not everybody is comfortable with the idea that politics is a guilty addiction. But it is.

I’m not always going to say things the perfect way, the right way. But I’m going to say how I feel.

Nothing can affect my voice, it’s so bad.

There are many sham diamonds in this life which pass for real, and vice versa.

I don’t believe in endorsing a product that you don’t want to endorse.

I don’t usually admire Sarah Palin, but when she was making fun of this ‚hopey changey stuff,‘ she was right: there was nothing there.

I see the world in black and white, and I don’t like compromising.

If an individual wants to be a leader and isn’t controversial, that means he never stood for anything.

There are more sure marks of authenticity in the Bible that in any profane history.

Once I’ve written something it does tend to run away from me. I don’t seem to have any part of it – it’s no longer my piece of writing.

In the 21st century, the countries that thrive will be the ones where citizens know their voices will be heard because the institutions are transparent.

It’s no accident many accuse me of conducting public affairs with my heart instead of my head. Well, what if I do? Those who don’t know how to weep with their whole heart don’t know how to laugh either.

I don’t think there’s anything unique about human intelligence.

I think the idea of art kills creativity.

I cry very easily. It can be a movie, a phone conversation, a sunset – tears are words waiting to be written.

Poetry is a deal of joy and pain and wonder, with a dash of the dictionary.

There is not a truth existing which I fear… or would wish unknown to the whole world.

I never have an intended audience. I just write, you know.

My parents were the same in the pulpit as they were at home. I think that’s where a lot of preachers‘ kids get off base sometimes. Because they don’t see the same things at both places.

You know, my Grandpop Finnegan used to have an expression: he used to say, ‚Joey, the guy in Olyphant’s out of work, it’s an economic slowdown. When your brother-in-law’s out of work, it’s a recession. When you’re out of work, it’s a depression.‘

In matters of truth the fact that you don’t want to publish something is, nine times out of ten, a proof that you ought to publish it.

I have no further use for America. I wouldn’t go back there if Jesus Christ was President.

I’ve been lucky – all the ads I’ve got, I’ve got to be myself. I haven’t had to act too much or tried too hard to be someone I’m not. I think that’s why people sort of like them. Even the Fastrack ads I did with Genelia.

The hardest thing for – not only an artist but for anybody to do is look themselves in the mirror and acknowledge, you know, their own flaws and fears and imperfections and put them out there in the open for people to relate to it.

All I can do is try to create my own brand and have people appreciate me for that.

It is difficult for the common good to prevail against the intense concentration of those who have a special interest, especially if the decisions are made behind locked doors.

I think that I do feel that my nature is to express what this self, this particular self at this time, experiences in the world. And that is so organic – I use this metaphor a lot but I’ll use it again – it’s like a pine tree producing pine cones, or a blackberry bush producing blackberries – it’s just what happens with this being, now.

I don’t like it when people who are young act like they’re 40. That’s taking too much on. Putting up a shield and trying to act like you’re so mature or whatever – I don’t try to act mature. Some people might say I’m mature for my age, but it’s not something I’m trying to do, you know? I’m just me.

Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known.

I want people to understand they have to live their own lives the way they want to and not just do what we do.

Who you are speaks so loudly I can’t hear what you’re saying.

There’s a gap between what I want to do, what I do on camera, and what gets edited. Right? So the goal is to try and close the gaps. What’s the biggest compliment is if I read a review and it’s exactly what I wrote down in my diary before ever filming it. That’s really cool. That’s the biggest signifier of closing the gaps.

Knowledge is true opinion.

There are in fact two things, science and opinion; the former begets knowledge, the latter ignorance.

Politics and the pulpit are terms that have little agreement.

People do not seem to realize that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character.

In my research, I’ve interviewed a lot of people who never fit in, who are what you might call ‚different‘: scientists, artists, thinkers. And if you drop down deep into their work and who they are, there is a tremendous amount of self-acceptance.

Anything I’ve ever said, I certainly was feeling at the time.

I can unload my opinion on anybody at anytime.

I think ‚Invisible‘ is a great song, but I don’t know how accessible it is.

Art is to be free. Design is to fix.

Once you’ve changed who you are or who you’ve portrayed in your music, the fans, they’ll catch it… Once I feel like the world knows me for anything else but my music, then I feel like I failed.

The American people are entitled to see the president and to hear his views directly, and not to see him only through the press.

I never wanted to look pretty on stage and sing about something we’ve all heard about before.

Factoring in millions of people when I’m writing a song is not a good idea. I don’t ever do it.

People often think I’m a faker, but I’m usually honest, in a certain way – in such a way that often nobody believes me!

I want you to be everything that’s you, deep at the center of your being.