Tom Wolfe

"The idea is to write it so that people hear it and it slides through the brain like a knife through butter."

"A man without a woman is like a nation without a government."

"The whole essence of good design is that it should make life better."

"Status anxiety is the fuel of ambition in modern society."

"Radical chic is a form of status seeking through association with the oppressed."

"The more you know about the world, the more you realize how much you don't know."

"You can't go anywhere in America without hearing about the next big thing."

"Fashion is the armor to survive the reality of everyday life."

"The wealthy want to be seen as different, and consumption is how they prove it."

"Writers should go out into the world and live, not hide in universities."

"The American Dream is really about status and recognition."

"Detail is everything in storytelling—the small moments make the story real."

"Every age has its own way of looking at reality and creating meaning."

"The most important thing is to observe closely and report truthfully."

"Competitiveness in America has become almost religious in its intensity."

"Good writing requires you to have something honest to say."

"People dress according to the social cues of their time and place."

"The power of a story is in its specificity, not its generality."

"Success in America often means you've convinced others of your importance."

"Moral judgment is embedded in seemingly innocent descriptions."

"The journalist's job is to hold a mirror up to society and describe what he sees."

"Experiential writing brings readers directly into the moment."

"Social climbing is the backbone of the American narrative."

"The best way to understand a culture is to observe its rituals and symbols."

"Every person is driven by a desire to be recognized and valued."

"Writing with energy and immediacy connects readers to the truth of a moment."

"The American obsession with youth reflects deeper anxieties about mortality."

"True reporting requires empathy and a willingness to be surprised."

"Style and substance are inseparable in good writing."

"The human need for meaning-making never stops, no matter the era."