He had found Gwen by some miracle and lost touch with that old friend for a few years, but now he and solitude were back together, out for a stroll, familiar and comfortable.
Neal Stephenson: The Diamond Age
Spaziersam.
Harmlittle.
[...] made Nell oddly nostalgic for the days when dangerousness was a function of mass and bulk. The passives of that era were so fun to watch, with their big, stupid cars and big, stupid guns and big, stupid people.
Neal Stephenson: The Diamond Age
Co-edrything.
Fiona, walking to and from the bathroom, was fascinated to see evidence of men and women living and sleeping and bathing together.
Neal Stephenson: The Diamond Age
Höflerwachung.
In an era when everything can be surveiled, all we have left is politeness.
Neal Stephenson: The Diamond Age
Nahfühlen.
Herr Janosch, wie verbringt man einen tollen Abend vor dem Fernseher? »Man braucht vor allem jemanden, mit dem man zusammen Fernsehen schaut. Wenn man den genau Richtigen dazu hat, braucht man unter Umständen gar keinen Fernseher mehr.«