When I Was A Child...

American Society [...] Not Only Sanctions Gross And Unfair Relations Among Men, But It Encourages Them. Now, Can That Be Denied? No. Rivalry, Competition, Envy, Jealousy, All That Is Malignant In Human Character Is Nourished By The System. Possession, Money, Property--on Such Corrupt Standards As These Do You People Measure Happiness And Success.

Like All Enjoyable Things, You See, It Has Unenjoyable Parts To It.

Memories Of The Past Are Not Memories Of Facts But Memories Of Your Imaginings Of The Facts.

You Go To Someone And You Think, 'i'll Tell Him This.' But Why? The Impulse Is That The Telling Is Going To Relieve You. And That's Why You Feel Awful Later--you've Relieved Yourself, And If It Truly Is Tragic And Awful, It's Not Better, It's Worse---the Exhibitionism Inherent To A Confession Has Only Made The Misery Worse.

'haunted By The Past' Is A Commonplace Phrase Because It's A Commonplace Experience. Even If One Is Not, Strictly Speaking, 'haunted', The Past Is Perpetually With One In The Present, And The Longer It Grows And The Further It Recedes The Stronger Its Presence Seems To Become.