Home > Work > Adulthood Rites (Xenogenesis, #2)
21 " 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. If you don’t understand this, you will. You’ll probably find both tendencies surfacing in your own behavior.” And she had put her hand on his hair. “When you feel a conflict, try to go the Oankali way. Embrace difference. "
― Octavia E. Butler , Adulthood Rites (Xenogenesis, #2)
22 " It would be terrible to be small and foolish. "
23 " Humans are freer to decide what they want," he said softly."They only think they are," Dehkiaht replied. "
24 " Then do this. The knowledge won’t harm you if you decide not to use it. You need to do this. You’ve taken refuge too long in doing nothing at all. "
25 " Why did the Oankali cause this? Why didn’t they offer us Mars years ago?” “They would never offer you Mars. I offer you Mars.” “Why?” “Because I’m part of you. Because I say you should have one more chance to breed yourselves out of your genetic Contradiction.” “And what do the Oankali say?” “That you can’t grow out of it, can’t resolve it in favor of intelligence. That hierarchical behavior selects for hierarchical behavior, whether it should or not. That not even Mars will be enough of a challenge to change you.” He paused. “That to give you a new world and let you procreate again would . . . would be like breeding intelligent beings for the sole purpose of having them kill one another. "
26 " If you knew a man was out of his mind, you restrained him. You didn’t give him power. "
27 " It was ... more poison packed tight together in one place than I've ever known. Did Humans make it that way on purpose? "