Chuck Palahniuk Quotes

"“Experts in ancient Greek culture say that people back then didn’t see their thoughts as belonging to them. When ancient Greeks had a thought, it occurred to them as a god or goddess giving an order. Apollo was telling them to be brave. Athena was telling them to fall in love. Now people hear a commercial for sour cream potato chips and rush out to buy, but now they call this free will. At least the ancient Greeks were being honest.”"

"Every generation wants to be the last. Every generation hates the next trend in music they can't understand. We hate to give up those reins of our culture."

"Our culture has made us all the same. No one is truly white or black or rich, anymore. We all want the same. Individually, we are nothing."

"The first step - especially for young people with energy and drive and talent, but not money - the first step to controlling your world is to control your culture. To model and demonstrate the kind of world you demand to live in. To write the books. Make the music. Shoot the films. Paint the art."

"If you love something, set it free. Just don't be surprised if it comes back with herpes..."

"Did perpetual happiness in the Garden of Eden maybe get so boring that eating the apple was justified?"

"Only through destroying myself can I discover the greater power of my spirit."

"The only way to find true happiness is to risk being completely cut open."

"I just don't want to die without a few scars."

"I used to work in a funeral home to feel good about myself, just the fact that I was breathing."

"Sometimes you do something, and you get screwed. Sometimes it's the things you don't do, and you get screwed."

"No matter how much you think you love somebody, you'll step back when the pool of their blood edges up too close."

"The only difference between suicide and martyrdom is press coverage."

"The trick to forgetting the big picture is to look at everything close-up."

"We have to show these men and women freedom by enslaving them, and show them courage by frightening them."

"A tiger can smileA snake will say it loves youLies make us evil"

"You take the population of vehicles in the field (A) and multiply it by the probable rate of failure (B), then multiply the result by the average out-of-court settlement (C).A times B times C equals X. This is what it will cost if we don't initiate a recall.If X is greater than the cost of a recall, we recall all the cars and no one gets hurt.If X is less than the cost of a recall, then we don't recall."

"You can buy about four hundred tiny fashion separates that mix and match to create three tasteful outfits. In that way, the doll is incredibly lifelike. Chilling, even."

"You must realize that one day you will die. Until then you are worthless."

"People have to really suffer before they can risk doing what they love."