Clifford Cohen

“Regarding war and peace—the seeds of each are planted in the other.”

“When someone apologizes to you, be sure you know whether they’re sorry, or just scared.”

“If you want to impress someone, simply make up a vocation and preface it with the words “molecular” or “theoretical” (as in “molecular biologist” or “theoretical physicist”). After you do this no one will question the veracity of anything you say—whether it is related to your putative vocation or not.”

“Amazing how too much passion in one part of your life can destroy passion in other parts of your life.”

“It is more important to understand the book you are reading than to finish the book you are reading.”

“If you can’t be brave in the face of adversity, at least be practical.”

“We live in an age of equivocal competency: if you want, you can be a competent dictator, a competent self-promoter, a competent terrorist. Just because you can do something well does not mean you should be doing it.”

“If someone tells you that they’re called “blueberries” because they’re berries and they’re blue—believe them.”

“Sometimes, if your opponent is determined to win the battle, let him win the wrong battle.”