The absence of alternatives clears the mind marvelously. It is only one step from the sublime to the ridiculous. The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently. In order to acquire a growing and lasting respect in society, it is a good thing, if you possess great talent, to give, early in your youth, a very hard kick to the right shin of the society that you love. After that, be a snob.
Every child is an artist.
The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up. You can observe a lot just by watching. And in the end it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.