English - Writer | December 20, 1969 -
When work is not going well, it's useful to remember that our identities stretch beyond what is on the business card, that we were people long before we became workers - and will continue to be human once we have put our tools down forever.
Alain de Botton
WorkBusinessPeopleToolsRemember
When I see someone like Richard Dawkins, I see my father. I grew up with that. I'm basically the child of Richard Dawkins.
FatherChildSomeoneSeeI SeeUp
I know a lot about writing, but I don't know much about how other industries work. I've tried to use my naivety to my advantage.
WorkWritingKnowAdvantageTried
As an atheist, I think there are lots of things religions get up to which are of value to non-believers - and one of those things is trying to be a bit better than we normally manage to be.
ValueThinkBetterTryingAtheist
Virtue is its own reward. We only invented concepts like heaven and hell to describe how we feel. We don't feel good doing bad and it's nice to help someone.
GoodFeel GoodHellFeelDoingHelp
On paper, being good sounds great but a lot depends on the atmosphere of the workplace or community we live in. We tend to become good or bad depending on the cues sent out within a particular space.
GoodLiveCommunityGreatSpaceBad
I keep a picture of my beloved children close by. Also, water and plenty of pads and pens.
ChildrenWaterPictureKeepClose
I waste most of the day, then finally start to write around 3 P.M., totally disgusted with myself for my wasteful nature.
NatureMyselfDayStartWriteWaste
There are people who say, 'Oh this guy is quite thick.' I think the reason is that, increasingly, I don't mind being simple in terms of literary expression. Others say, 'No, no, no. He went to Cambridge. He got a good degree. He must be Einstein.'
GoodSimplePeopleMindThinkSay
I always feel that I am writing for somebody who is bright but impatient. Someone who doesn't have unlimited time. That is my sense of the reader. So I have got to get to the point.
TimeI AmWritingFeelSomeoneGet
My father paid for my education; then he made it clear that I was on my own.
EducationFatherMy OwnOwnClear
What bothers me is that there is so much emphasis on food, rather than gathering and meeting - so that there is all this effort in creating the right food, whereas the food is only a small part of whether the encounter is successful or not.
FoodEffortMeSmallMeetingRight
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