Imperceptibly, the developed world's manufacturing base was gradually eroding and being replaced by securitized finance that destroyed itself and nearly its economies in 2008.

All we can hope for is that the thing is going to slowly and imperceptibly shift. All I can say is that 50 years ago there were no such thing as environmental policies.

When the faithful are asked whether God really exists, they often begin by talking about the enigmatic mysteries of the universe and the limits of human understanding. 'Science cannot explain the Big Bang,' they exclaim, 'so that must be God's doing.' Yet like a magician fooling an audience by imperceptibly replacing one card with another, the faithful quickly replace the cosmic mystery with the worldly lawgiver. After giving the name of 'God' to the unknown secrets of the cosmos, they then use this to somehow condemn bikinis and divorces. 'We do not understand the Big Bang ? therefore you must cover your hair in public and vote against gay marriage.' Not only is there no logical connection between the two, but they are in fact contradictory. The deeper the mysteries of the universe, the less likely it is that whatever is responsible for them gives a damn about female dress codes or human sexual behaviour.

Most of what passes for legitimate entertainment is inferior or foolish and only caters to or exploits people's weaknesses. Avoid being one of the mob who indulges in such pastimes. Your life is too short and you have important things to do. Be discriminating about what images and ideas you permit into your mind. If you yourself don't choose what thoughts and images you expose yourself to, someone else will, and their motives may not be the highest. It is the easiest thing in the world to slide imperceptibly into vulgarity. But there's no need for that to happen if you determine not to waste your time and attention on mindless pap.

There is a kind of elevation which does not depend on fortune it is a certain air which distinguishes us and seems to destine us for great things it is a price which we imperceptibly set upon ourselves.

All we can hope for is that the thing is going to slowly and imperceptibly shift. All I can say is that 50 years ago there were no such thing as environmental policies.

Beauty is the disinterested one without which the ancient world refused to understand itself a word which both imperceptibly and yet unmistakably has bid farewell to our new world a world of interests leaving it to its own avarice and sadness.