“As societies grow decadent, the language grows decadent, too. Words are used to disguise, not to illuminate, action: you liberate a city by destroying it. Words are to confuse, so that at election time people will solemnly vote against their own interests.”

American novelist, playwright, and essayist of the mid-20th century, Vidal was a sharp critic of American politics and culture, blending wit and biting satire in his work. His novels and plays, like *Julian* and *Myra Breckinridge*, often explored power, sexuality, and the decline of traditional values. He also left a lasting mark as a public intellectual, known for his polemical essays and television appearances.