Olga

“It is important-even necessary-for us to become acutely aware of the fact that we can't trust ourselves. The only ones you can trust to some extent are people who really know that. We had better get this straight.”
― Akutagawa Ryūnosuke

“Such unsubtle escapism! Really, Dr Fara, such folly smacks of genius. A lesser mind would be incapable of it.”
― Isaac Asimov, Foundation

“These women lived their lives happily. They had been taught, probably by loving parents, not to exceed the boundaries of their happiness regardless of what they were doing. But therefore they could never know real joy. Which is better? Who can say? Everyone lives the way she knows best. What I mean by 'their happiness' is living a life untouched as much as possible by the knowledge that we are really, all of us, alone. That's not a bad thing. Dressed in their aprons, their smiling faces like flowers, learning to cook, absorbed in their little troubles and perplexities, they fall in love and marry. I think that's great. I wouldn't mind that kind of life. Me, when I'm utterly exhausted by it all, my skin breaks out, on those lonely evenings when I call my friends again and again and nobody's home, then I despise my own life - my birth, my upbringing, everything. I feel only regret for the whole thing.”
― Banana Yoshimoto, Kitchen

“Whatever the gods' games were, they played them in a damn mysterious way.
He looked up at the hooded figure beside him.
"We never intended this," he said weakly. "Honestly. No offence. We just wanted what was due to us."
A skeletal hand patted him on the shoulder, not unkindly.
And Death said, "CONGRATULATIONS".”
― Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!