Home > Work > Adulthood Rites (Xenogenesis, #2)
1 " ...how could they let insane people gain control of devices that could do so much harm? If you knew a man was out of his mind, you restrained him. You didn't give him power. "
― Octavia E. Butler , Adulthood Rites (Xenogenesis, #2)
2 " Nothing. It just finds you a lot more attractive than it does most Humans. What can you do with a beautiful woman that you can’t do with an ugly one? Nothing. It’s just a matter of preference. "
3 " The differences you perceive between Humans—between groups of Humans—are the result of isolation and inbreeding, mutation, and adaptation to different Earth environments "
4 " That's what Humans are, too, don't forget. People who poison each other, then disclaim all responsibility. "
5 " Is a pea cut in half one wounded thing or two? "
6 " Most Humans lose access to old memories as they acquire new ones. They know how to speak, for instance, but they don’t recall learning to speak. They keep what experience has taught them—usually—but lose the experience itself. We "
7 " You aren’t flawed. I noticed even before I went to my parents that there was a wholeness to you—a strong wholeness. I don’t know whether you’ll be what your parents wanted you to be, but whatever you become, you’ll be complete. You’ll have within yourself everything you need to content yourself. Just follow what seems right to you. "
8 " Human purpose isn't what you say it is or what I say it is. It's what your biology says it is--what your genes say it is. "
9 " You controlled both animals and people by controlling their reproduction—controlling it absolutely. "
10 " no one had been able to give him a reason why people who had excellent reasons to suppose they would destroy themselves if they did a certain thing chose to do that thing anyway. "
11 " How could sane people like the ones he had left behind in Phoenix do such a thing—or, how could they let insane people gain control of devices that could do so much harm? If you knew a man was out of his mind, you restrained him. You didn’t give him power. "
12 " Human beings fear difference,” Lilith had told him once. “Oankali crave difference. Humans persecute their different ones, yet they need them to give themselves definition and status. Oankali seek difference and collect it. They need it to keep themselves from stagnation and overspecialization "
13 " The Human Contradiction held them. Intelligence at the service of hierarchical behavior. They were not free. "
14 " They forced you to have kids?" the man asked."One of them surprised me," she said. "It made me pregnant, then told me about it. Said it was giving me what I wanted but would never come out and ask for.""Was it?""Yes." She shook her head from side to side. "Oh, yes. But if I had the strength not to ask, it should have had the strength to let me alone. "
15 " Trade means change. Bodies change. Ways of living must change. Did you think your children would only look different? "
16 " How stupid to be sick and know where there was healing and decide to stay sick. "
17 " Humans persecute their different ones, yet they need them to give themselves definition and status. "
18 " They forced you to have kids?” the man asked. “One of them surprised me,” she said. “It made me pregnant, then told me about it. Said it was giving me what I wanted but would never come out and ask for.” “Was it?” “Yes.” She shook her head from side to side. “Oh, yes. But if I had the strength not to ask, it should have had the strength to let me alone. "
19 " are, too, don’t forget. People who poison each other, then disclaim all responsibility. "
20 " - Ако бях човек, малки конструкте, щях да бъда Бунтовник. Всички, които знаят какво е да свършиш, трябва да получат възможност да продължат. "
