To be a truly conscientious artist, you have to look at what's not working and challenge it. You riff on things. Kara Walker artistchallengeconscientious Change image and share on social
To be a utilitarian means that you judge actions as right or wrong in accordance with whether they have good consequences. So you try to do what will have the best consequences for all of those affected. Peter Singer accordanceactionaffect share on social
To be a veiled Muslim woman on screen is a very scary minefield for me. Yasmine Al Masri minefieldmuslimscary Change image and share on social
To be a very, very minor, eighth-tier celebrity, you realize, 'Hey, celebrities are just like us.' Nate Silver celebrityeighthhey Change image and share on social
To be a white kid into hip-hop meant you'd sought it out and you practiced the art. Which meant dedication and diligence, as well as removing yourself at least occasionally from your own comfort zone and circumstances, and from people who looked like you. Adam Mansbach artcircumstancecomfort share on social
To be a winner of that, and to fall in the long line of traditional great backs at USC, to have your name in perpetuity, the fact that your parents are like icons... that's the greatest thing. Marcus Allen backfactfall Change image and share on social
To be a writer does not mean to preach a truth, it means to discover a truth. Milan Kundera discovermeanpreach Change image and share on social
To be a writer is to connect and to play and to attempt to see clearly and understand. It astounds me regularly that feeling things deeply and writing them down is basically my job description. Deb Caletti astoundattemptbasically Change image and share on social
To be a writer was always my greatest aim. I remember writing a play about Guy Fawkes when I was 10. I suppose it's significant, at least to me, that my first work should be about a historical figure. Peter Ackroyd aimfawkesfigure Change image and share on social
To be a writer you have to be out in the world, you have to risk yourself in the world, you have to be immersed in the world, you have to go out looking for it. This becomes harder as you get older because there's less energy, the days are shorter for older people and it's not so easy to go out and immerse oneself in the world outside. V. S. Naipaul dayeasyenergy share on social