In fact, at times I preferred to live in the forbidden world, and frequently my return home to the bright realm, no matter how necessary and good that might be, was almost like a return to someplace less beautiful, more boring and dreary. At times I knew my goal in life was to become like my father and mother, just as bright and pure, superior and well-ordered as they. But that was a long road to travel Demian

 The challenge now is to develop human history as a science.  Guns, Germs And Steel

[..] the values to which people cling most stubbornly under inappropriate conditions are those values that were previously the source of their greatest triumphs. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed

Oh, I know it today: nothing in the world is more repugnant to a man than following the path that leads him to himself! Demian