No one gives a damn what Iran thinks on any significant issue. The only reason Iran is at the big boys' table is because of their nuclear weapons program.
The advice I tell students is to think about the big problems. I mean, work on anything you can work on where you can make progress. But always keep in mind the big problems.
In a major matter no details are small.
I'm not involved in light, frivolous matters. I'm not involved in fringe or side issues. I'm involved in serious issues.
I'm deeply involved in big problems.
Never underestimate the size and scope of my problems.
In order for a long piece of work to engage a novelist over an extended period of time, it has to deal with questions that you find very important, that you're trying to work out.
I try to always bring topics to the table that matter, topics that I think need to be discussed and reflected on.
I felt strongly that since the pursuit of good science was so difficult it was essential that the problem being studied was an important one to justify the effort expanded.
I would love to be a voice in this maelstrom of chaos and obsessive celebrity infatuation that says, 'Let's talk about something that matters'.
I want to talk about things that are actually important.
In larger things we are convivial; what causes trouble is the trivial.
We cannot meet big challenges with small ideas.
It's because I'm only interested in the big things that I'm not interested in politics.
We must energetically tackle the significant problems the voters rightly want Washington to be addressing.
