Thomas McFarland Quotes

“Culture primarily witnesses the absence of meaning, not it's presence.”

“Americans are slow to anger, but once they do get angry, they are impossible to stop.”

“Russia does not have a modern economy: it's a petro-power. The only thing it sells that the world wants to buy is oil and natural gas. When was the last time anyone bought a Russian computer? A Russian car? A Russian cell phone? Russia is so dependent on high energy prices that if oil falls below $100 a barrel, the Kremlin can't meet payroll.”

“In politics, a picture is worth a thousand words.”

“As long as the United States - and the world - gets its oil from the Middle East, we will be drawn into the endless crises that seem endemic to the region. American energy independence would not only liberate us, it would also drive down the worldwide price of oil.”

“The president doesn't order the military to seize political opponents. He doesn't order his intelligence community to lie about national security for political purposes. He uses the military or intelligence communities to protect the United States and our citizens, not to help him win elections.”

“It is the love of country that has lighted and that keeps glowing the holy fire of patriotism.”

“When our hopes for performance are not completely met, realistic optimism involves accepting what cannot now be changed, rather than condemning or second-guessing ourselves. Focusing on the successful aspects of performance (even when the success is modest) promotes positive affect, reduces self-doubt, and helps to maintain motivation (e.g., McFarland & Ross, 1982).... Nevertheless, realistic optimism does not include or imply expectations that things will improve on their own. Wishful thinking of this sort typically has no reliable supporting evidence. Instead, the opportunity-seeking component of realistic optimism motivates efforts to improve future performances on the basis of what has been learned from past performances.”

“Just because The Past always hung there upon its hooks on the game-room wall, you didn't have to pull it down and use it on yourself.”

“There are humans, and there are ghosts. Vampires are just in a different state of transition. Not part of the human world and not part of the spirit world. We are just caught somewhere in between life and the real death.”