Anas Alhasan

“الاستبداد لو كان رجلاً وأراد أن يحتسب وينتسب لقال: "أنا الشرُّ، وأبي الظلم، وأمّي الإساءة، وأخي الغدر، وأختي المسْكَنة، وعمي الضُّرّ، وخالي الذُّلّ، وابني الفقر، وبنتي البطالة، وعشيرتي الجهالة، ووطني الخراب، أما ديني وشرفي فالمال المال المال".”
― عبد الرحمن الكواكبي, طبائع الاستبداد ومصارع الاستعباد

“Imagine that one day you are out for a walk in the woods. Suddenly you see a small spaceship on the path in front of you. A tiny Martian climbs out the spaceship and stands on the ground looking up at you…
What would you think? Never mind, it’s not important. But have you ever given any thought to the fact that you are a Martian yourself?
It is obviously unlikely that you will ever stumble upon a creature from another planet. We do not even know that there is life on other planets. But you might stumble upon yourself one day. You might suddenly stop short and see yourself in a completely new light. On just such a walk in the woods.
I am an extraordinary being, you think. I am a mysterious creature.
You feel as if you are waking from an enchanted slumber. Who am I? you ask. You know that you are stumbling around on a planet in the universe. But what is the universe?
If you discover yourself in this manner you will have discovered something as mysterious as the Martian we just mentioned. You will not only have seen a being from outer space. You will feel deep down that you are yourself an extraordinary being.”
― Jostein Gaarder, Sophie’s World

“It is a sad but unavoidable fact of life," he began, "that as we age our social circles grow smaller. Whether from increased habit or diminished vigor, we suddenly find ourselves in the company of just a few familiar faces.”
― Amor Towles, A Gentleman in Moscow

“العوام هم قوَّة المستبد و قوته , بهم عليهم يصول و يطول , يأسرهم , فيتهللون لشوكته , يغصب أموالهم , فيحمدونه على إبقائه حياتهم , و يهينهم فيثنون على رفعته , و يغري بعضهم على بعض , فيفتخرون بساسته , و اذا أسرف في أموالهم , يقولون كريما , و اذا قتل منهم و لم يمثل , يعتبرونه رحيما , و يسوقهم إلى خطر الموت , فيطيعونه حذر التوبيخ , و إن نقم عليه منهم بعض الأباة قاتلهم كأنهم بغاة .”
― عبد الرحمن الكواكبي, طبائع الاستبداد ومصارع الاستعباد