祈祷的功能不是影响上帝，而是改变祈祷者的本性。

Never stop learning, because the world never stops changing.

The modern state is characterized by its ability to concentrate and use power in a way that premodern states could not.

我现在承担了一项严肃的任务，恐怕这是一项在给定时间内任何人都无法完成的更艰巨的任务——但现在已经来不及回头了。