“I don’t think that work ever really destroyed anybody. I think that lack of work destroys them a hell of a lot more.”

Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get — only what you are expecting to give — which is everything. What you will receive in return varies. But it really has no connection with what you give. You give because you love and cannot help giving.

A boy sows a wild oat or two, the world winks. A girl does the same — scandal.

I was brought up by two extremely intelligent people who gave me the greatest gift that man can give anyone, and that is freedom from fear.

I’ve always thought men and women are not too well suited to each other. It’s inevitable that they should come together, but, again, how well suited are they to live together in the same house?

The notion that work is a burden is a terrible mistake. Working and facing up to one’s responsibilities: That’s happiness.

You are the only person you can actually change.

All my life, I’ve stayed at parties too long because I didn’t know when to go.

If you always do what interests you, at least one person is pleased.

It is the plain women who know about love; the beautiful women are too busy being fascinating.

I realised long ago that skirts are hopeless. Anytime I hear a man say he prefers a woman in a skirt, I say, ‘Try one. Try a skirt.’

It’s either some kind of electricity or some kind of energy. I don’t know what it is, but whatever it is, I’ve got it.

Isn’t it fun getting older? is really a terrible fallacy. That’s like saying I prefer driving an old car with a flat tire.

I think most of the people involved in any art always secretly wonder whether they are really there because they’re good or there because they’re lucky.

I don’t regret anything I’ve ever done; as long as I enjoyed it at the time.

If you survive long enough, you’re revered – rather like an old building.

Plain women know more about men than beautiful women do.

All those who seek to destroy the liberties of a democratic nation ought to know that war is the surest and shortest means to accomplish it.

I got my eye on you boy, and when I get my eye on something, it’s like search and destroy.

One word could destroy me and all I need to do is hear your name.

The question is whether any civilization can wage relentless war on life without destroying itself, and without losing the right to be called civilized.

Knowledge is power. If it is not applied properly to create, let there be no doubts, it will destroy.

Our understanding of how to live with one another is still far behind our knowledge of how to destroy one another.

If a strong government finds that it can, with impunity, destroy a weak people, then the hour has struck for that weak people to appeal to the League of Nations to give its judgment in all freedom. God and history will remember your judgment.

The best way to destroy the capitalist system is to debauch the currency.