The best thing about writing speculative fiction is the opportunity to satirize the whole wide world. The America in 'A Better World' isn't ours, but it's pretty close, so I could lampoon everything from partisan politics to the cult of celebrity to our general disaffection. To me, all that is the point.
Partisan politics has no place in the classroom.
Of course I am partisan in my politics, but my partisanship is rational - which, in my book, is not necessarily oxymoronic.
Our obligation to the people we serve is too important to place politics and partisanship before progress and results.
I never played politics, I was never a party girl, and I never slept with any of the producers.
As a matter of fact I don't like politics. I really don't. I think it's so jaded now and everybody has to follow the party line.
When I was 23, I didn't have much of an interest in politics. All of my interests were in partying and meeting girls and doing stand-up. That's all I cared about. Now, when you have a kid and stuff, you start watching the news and say, 'They shouldn't take money away from this education department.' You start having much more exact opinions.
Cory Doctorow should be too busy for lunch. He's co-editor of, and a prolific contributor to, one of the most influential blogs in the world, Boing Boing. Over the past decade the Canadian-born writer has published 16 books, mostly science fiction novels. He campaigns vigorously on the politics of the digital age.
The Philippines, it has a politics of patronage. Family and favors, in addition to the old cliche of guns, goons and gold, really do still hold a lot of sway.
Paul Ryan hasn't lacked for a job since he left college as the golden child of Wisconsin Republican politics, riding his family connections into a job with then-Senator Bob Kasten.
We need to start talking, to each other, about the issues that matter most. Otherwise, we are just pawns in the game of politics.
I pay attention to politics and technology.
Politics is a pendulum.
There's an old joke that politics is Hollywood for ugly people. An awful lot of the press coverage about Washington reads like coverage of Hollywood. Madonna is having some spat with Sean Penn. Who cares? And who cares which politician is mad at that politician?
As society changes, as politics change, as people change, certain songs still seem to resonate.
My mother was a writer. She acted in one film before she decided that Bollywood wasn't good enough for her. My two sisters and I probably learned from her how to get under other people's skin. In contrast, my father was a simple man despite his success at business. He was a people person, and I think that's what led him to join politics.
People say satire is dead. It's not dead; it's alive and living in the White House.
Perceptions are essential in politics.
Politics with me isn't theater. It's performance art. Sometimes, for its own sake.
I've been able to watch and to weather a lot of different periods in entertainment, politics and life.
