The greatness of a nation is in its symbols, its gestures, in doing things that are unprecedented. It’s why the Americans are falling behind—they bui… - Jaroslav Kalfař

For what it’s worth, the sociocultural rituals of your society seem to be in conflict with biological reality.

I wonder which group I belong to. Can I be with the youth, the hedonists turning Prague into a playground of the Old Continent? Or does my destination, the science department of Univerzita Karlova, put me in with that other dreaded group, the adults, those who get up in the morning and know exactly how their day will unravel, those who live on the exchange system of work, awaiting their grave with quiet politeness?

My father never did anything else after that," Valerie said. "Mostly, he became a drunk. But a man only needs one thing to be proud of. It will carry him through the rest of his life.