Izabela Marx

“it is the justification of violence against children that distinguishes it from other types of violence in our society, and is an unspeakable disgrace. A large section of public opinion, as well as countless experts and intellectuals, who in other respects are educated, kind and understanding, maintain that a “timely smack” is not only acceptable, but recommendable: a useful “educational” tool that helps the victim become a better person. The victim is told: “It’s for your own good”, or even, the height of shamelessness: “It hurts me more than it hurts you.” No one, or no one living in a democracy at the beginning of the twenty-first century at any rate, would dare justify violence in this way if the victim were an adult.”
― Carlos González, Kiss Me: How to Raise your Children with Love

“Excluding the language barrier, the worst thing in Brazil is being a woman in a very male dominated, looks obsessed culture. I thought the United States was bad when it came to presenting girls with unrealistic body expectations. Brazil is so much worse. Now that I’m raising a daughter, I realize just how bad it is. All girls are called princessa and told not to cry because it’s ugly (Não chora! Vai ficar feia!). I could not find baby girls clothes in any other colour than pink. Toddlers go with their moms to the salons and get mani-pedis. On billboards, in magazines, everywhere you see advertisements for plastic surgery that you can pay for in 20 instalments! Brazil has more plastic surgeries per capita than any country in the world. It will be an uphill battle to raise a girl who does not think makeup is necessary for the gym.”
― Cyril Richert, My life abroad: A selection of expat stories

“Worries don't drown in alcohol. They can swim." -Heinz Rühmann”
― Oliver Gaspirtz, German Wisdom: Funny, Inspirational and Thought-Provoking Quotes by Famous Germans

“What is immoral is the act of deliberately causing frustration in a human being. If this evening the lights go out for ten minutes in your street, you’ll never know whether there has been an actual power failure or whether the electricity company has decided to cut off the power for random intervals of ten minutes to teach citizens to tolerate frustration and to make do without electricity.”
― Carlos González, Kiss Me: How to Raise your Children with Love