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Octavia E. Butler

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Jarret insists on being a throwback to some earlier, “simpler” time. Now does not suit him. Religious tolerance does not suit him. The current state of the country does not suit him. He wants to take us all back to some magical time when everyone believed in the same God, worshipped him in the same way, and understood that their safety in the universe depended on completing the same religious rituals and stomping anyone who was different. There was never such a time in this country. But these days when more than half the people in the country can’t read at all, history is just one more vast unknown to them.
From Parable of the Talents
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Topic: Religion
There is no end
To what a living world
Will demand of you.
From Parable of the Sower
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Topic: Life
Here in California, a few years ago voters passed an initiative intended to prevent illegal aliens from using our schools and hospitals. The courts have so far prevented this fantastically stupid law from being enforced, but what bothers me is, a majority of voting Californians thought it would be a really good idea to share our state with large numbers of sick, uneducated people. Of course, the true goal was to force the illegals out, but as long as there are jobs here--even dirty, ill-paid, dangerous jobs--needy people from other countries will come here. Best they maintain their health, and in doing so, maintain the public health. And best their children go to school and become the educated Americans that the country will need for a positive future.
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Topic: Education
The world is full of painful stories. Sometimes it seems as though there aren't any other kind and yet I found myself thinking how beautiful that glint of water was through the trees.
From Parable of the Sower
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Topic: Inspirational
Maybe God is a kind of big kid, playing with his toys. If he is, what difference does it make of 700 people get killed in a hurricane--or if seven kids go to church and get dipped in a big tank of expensive water?
From Parable of the Sower
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Topic: Religion
Let them see that you trust them & let them solve their own problems, make their own decisions.Do that & they will commit their lives to you. Bully the, control them out of fear or malice or just for your own convenience, & after a while you'll have to spend all your time thinking for them, controlling them, & stifling their resentment.
From Fledgling
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Topic: Relationships
There’s no single answer that will solve all our future problems. There’s no magic bullet. Instead there are thousands of answers—at least. You can be one of them if you choose to be.
From A Few Rules for Predicting the Future: An Essay
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Topic: Hope
I have also read that the Pox was caused by accidentally coinciding climatic, economic, and sociological crises. It would be more honest to say that the Pox was caused by our own refusal to deal with obvious problems in those areas. We caused the problems: then we sat and watched as they grew into crises. I have heard people deny this, but I was born in 1970. I have seen enough to know that it is true. I have watched education become more a privilege of the rich than the basic necessity that it must be if civilized society is to survive. I have watched as convenience, profit, and inertia excused greater and more dangerous environmental degradation. I have watched poverty, hunger, and disease become inevitable for more and more people.
From Parable of the Talents
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Topic: Education
I mean, that guy who wants to be President, that Jarret, he would call you all heathens or pagans or something."

Indeed, he would. “Yes,” I said. “He does seem to enjoy calling people things like that. Once he’s made everyone who isn’t like him sound evil, then he can blame them for problems he knows they didn’t cause. That’s easier than trying to fix the problems.
From Parable of the Talents
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Topic: Religion
I can't say why I went to college–except that I had been going to school all my life and didn't know what else to do. I didn't go with any particular hope. Hell, I knew what I was in for eventually. I was just marking time. Whatever I did was just marking time. If people were willing to pay me to go to school and mark time, why not do it?
The weird part was, I worked hard, got top grades. If you work hard enough at something that doesn't matter, you can forget a while about the things that do.
From Bloodchild and Other Stories
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Topic: Education
Every story I create, creates me. I write to create myself.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Topic: Inspirational
There is nothing new under the sun, but there are new suns.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Topic: Hope
Jarret insists on being a throwback to some earlier, “simpler” time. Now does not suit him. Religious tolerance does not suit him. The current state of the country does not suit him. He wants to take us all back to some magical time when everyone believed in the same God, worshipped him in the same way, and understood that their safety in the universe depended on completing the same religious rituals and stomping anyone who was different. There was never such a time in this country. But these days when more than half the people in the country can’t read at all, history is just one more vast unknown to them.
From Parable of the Talents
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Topic: Religion
There is no end
To what a living world
Will demand of you.
From Parable of the Sower
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Topic: Life
Here in California, a few years ago voters passed an initiative intended to prevent illegal aliens from using our schools and hospitals. The courts have so far prevented this fantastically stupid law from being enforced, but what bothers me is, a majority of voting Californians thought it would be a really good idea to share our state with large numbers of sick, uneducated people. Of course, the true goal was to force the illegals out, but as long as there are jobs here--even dirty, ill-paid, dangerous jobs--needy people from other countries will come here. Best they maintain their health, and in doing so, maintain the public health. And best their children go to school and become the educated Americans that the country will need for a positive future.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Topic: Education
The world is full of painful stories. Sometimes it seems as though there aren't any other kind and yet I found myself thinking how beautiful that glint of water was through the trees.
From Parable of the Sower
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Topic: Inspirational
Maybe God is a kind of big kid, playing with his toys. If he is, what difference does it make of 700 people get killed in a hurricane--or if seven kids go to church and get dipped in a big tank of expensive water?
From Parable of the Sower
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Topic: Religion
Let them see that you trust them & let them solve their own problems, make their own decisions.Do that & they will commit their lives to you. Bully the, control them out of fear or malice or just for your own convenience, & after a while you'll have to spend all your time thinking for them, controlling them, & stifling their resentment.
From Fledgling
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Topic: Relationships
There’s no single answer that will solve all our future problems. There’s no magic bullet. Instead there are thousands of answers—at least. You can be one of them if you choose to be.
From A Few Rules for Predicting the Future: An Essay
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Topic: Hope
I have also read that the Pox was caused by accidentally coinciding climatic, economic, and sociological crises. It would be more honest to say that the Pox was caused by our own refusal to deal with obvious problems in those areas. We caused the problems: then we sat and watched as they grew into crises. I have heard people deny this, but I was born in 1970. I have seen enough to know that it is true. I have watched education become more a privilege of the rich than the basic necessity that it must be if civilized society is to survive. I have watched as convenience, profit, and inertia excused greater and more dangerous environmental degradation. I have watched poverty, hunger, and disease become inevitable for more and more people.
From Parable of the Talents
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Topic: Education
I mean, that guy who wants to be President, that Jarret, he would call you all heathens or pagans or something."

Indeed, he would. “Yes,” I said. “He does seem to enjoy calling people things like that. Once he’s made everyone who isn’t like him sound evil, then he can blame them for problems he knows they didn’t cause. That’s easier than trying to fix the problems.
From Parable of the Talents
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Topic: Religion
I can't say why I went to college–except that I had been going to school all my life and didn't know what else to do. I didn't go with any particular hope. Hell, I knew what I was in for eventually. I was just marking time. Whatever I did was just marking time. If people were willing to pay me to go to school and mark time, why not do it?
The weird part was, I worked hard, got top grades. If you work hard enough at something that doesn't matter, you can forget a while about the things that do.
From Bloodchild and Other Stories
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Topic: Education
Every story I create, creates me. I write to create myself.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Topic: Inspirational
There is nothing new under the sun, but there are new suns.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Topic: Hope
Jarret insists on being a throwback to some earlier, “simpler” time. Now does not suit him. Religious tolerance does not suit him. The current state of the country does not suit him. He wants to take us all back to some magical time when everyone believed in the same God, worshipped him in the same way, and understood that their safety in the universe depended on completing the same religious rituals and stomping anyone who was different. There was never such a time in this country. But these days when more than half the people in the country can’t read at all, history is just one more vast unknown to them.
From Parable of the Talents
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Topic: Religion
There is no end
To what a living world
Will demand of you.
From Parable of the Sower
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Topic: Life
Here in California, a few years ago voters passed an initiative intended to prevent illegal aliens from using our schools and hospitals. The courts have so far prevented this fantastically stupid law from being enforced, but what bothers me is, a majority of voting Californians thought it would be a really good idea to share our state with large numbers of sick, uneducated people. Of course, the true goal was to force the illegals out, but as long as there are jobs here--even dirty, ill-paid, dangerous jobs--needy people from other countries will come here. Best they maintain their health, and in doing so, maintain the public health. And best their children go to school and become the educated Americans that the country will need for a positive future.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Topic: Education
The world is full of painful stories. Sometimes it seems as though there aren't any other kind and yet I found myself thinking how beautiful that glint of water was through the trees.
From Parable of the Sower
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Topic: Inspirational
Maybe God is a kind of big kid, playing with his toys. If he is, what difference does it make of 700 people get killed in a hurricane--or if seven kids go to church and get dipped in a big tank of expensive water?
From Parable of the Sower
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Topic: Religion
Let them see that you trust them & let them solve their own problems, make their own decisions.Do that & they will commit their lives to you. Bully the, control them out of fear or malice or just for your own convenience, & after a while you'll have to spend all your time thinking for them, controlling them, & stifling their resentment.
From Fledgling
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Topic: Relationships
There’s no single answer that will solve all our future problems. There’s no magic bullet. Instead there are thousands of answers—at least. You can be one of them if you choose to be.
From A Few Rules for Predicting the Future: An Essay
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Topic: Hope
I have also read that the Pox was caused by accidentally coinciding climatic, economic, and sociological crises. It would be more honest to say that the Pox was caused by our own refusal to deal with obvious problems in those areas. We caused the problems: then we sat and watched as they grew into crises. I have heard people deny this, but I was born in 1970. I have seen enough to know that it is true. I have watched education become more a privilege of the rich than the basic necessity that it must be if civilized society is to survive. I have watched as convenience, profit, and inertia excused greater and more dangerous environmental degradation. I have watched poverty, hunger, and disease become inevitable for more and more people.
From Parable of the Talents
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Topic: Education
I mean, that guy who wants to be President, that Jarret, he would call you all heathens or pagans or something."

Indeed, he would. “Yes,” I said. “He does seem to enjoy calling people things like that. Once he’s made everyone who isn’t like him sound evil, then he can blame them for problems he knows they didn’t cause. That’s easier than trying to fix the problems.
From Parable of the Talents
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Topic: Religion
I can't say why I went to college–except that I had been going to school all my life and didn't know what else to do. I didn't go with any particular hope. Hell, I knew what I was in for eventually. I was just marking time. Whatever I did was just marking time. If people were willing to pay me to go to school and mark time, why not do it?
The weird part was, I worked hard, got top grades. If you work hard enough at something that doesn't matter, you can forget a while about the things that do.
From Bloodchild and Other Stories
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Topic: Education
Every story I create, creates me. I write to create myself.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Topic: Inspirational
There is nothing new under the sun, but there are new suns.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Topic: Hope