If a building looks better under construction than it does when finished, then it's a failure. Doug Coupland on failure
Sometimes the best lighting of all is a power failure. Doug Coupland on failure
People are pretty forgiving when it comes to other people's families. The only family that ever horrifies you is your own. Doug Coupland on family
It's very strange that most people don't care if their knowledge of their family history only goes back three generations. Doug Coupland on family
Everybody has basically the same family, it's just reconfigured slightly differently from one to the next. Doug Coupland on family
Forget about being world famous, it's hard enough just getting the automatic doors at the supermarket to acknowledge our existence. Doug Coupland on famous
You pretend to be more eccentric than you actually are because you fear you are an interchangeable cog. Doug Coupland on fear
I know it's not cat food, but what exactly is it that they put inside of tinned ravioli? Doug Coupland on food
There's nothing cure or funny or lovable about being cheap. It's a total turn-off. Doug Coupland on funny
In the future, torture will once again become the recreational sport of the rich. Doug Coupland on future
I think that in the future, clocks won't say three o'clock anymore. They'll just get right to the point and rename three o'clock 'Pepsi.' Doug Coupland on future
When future archaeologists dig up the remains of California, they're going to find all of those gyms their scary-looking gym equipment, and they're going to assume that we were a culture obsessed with torture. Doug Coupland on future
It also allows you to look as though you're not particularly from the present, future or past, either. Doug Coupland on future
The future and eternity are two entirely different things. Doug Coupland on future
A bland smile is like a green light at an intersection, it feels good when you get one, but you forget it the moment you're past it. Doug Coupland on good
If you don't have a spiritual practice in place when times are good, you can't expect to suddenly develop one during a moment of crisis. Doug Coupland on good
Unhappiness is something we are never taught about we are taught to expect happiness, but never a Plan B to use to use when the happiness doesn't arrive. Doug Coupland on happiness
It's very strange that most people don't care if their knowledge of their family history only goes back three generations. Doug Coupland on history
We live in an era with no historical precedents. History is no longer useful as a tool in helping us understand current changes. Doug Coupland on history
If someone decides to be a musician now, it means because there is no hope of money at the end of it, it means they really want to be a musician. And if someone is writing now, there is no hope for money at the end of it. Doug Coupland on hope