Kage Baker Quotes

I will say this once. Edward turned to the others. I'm in command on this mission. Do not, at any time, attempt to wrest control from me. If what you see dismays you, avert your eyes.

It’s sad when people are stupid.

Sex, Kiu said thoughtfully. And Fear. Get that big old devil behind them with a stick, and my radiant beauty in front of them, and they'll run right off a cliff, if I ask.
I'm a firm believer in Guilt, personally, said Labienus.
Works well on individuals, Kiu conceded.
Nothing like it for subtle motivation. Plant it deeply enough into a mortal's psyche and it twists them endlessly. Labienus sighed. Get it in there young enough and it'll do all your work for you. You'll have only to prod the mortal along with a suggestion now and then.

Doubtless he was going to start bragging about being a god. It went with the profile of this sort of lunatic.

Ah, the immortal ocean.
Consider the instructive metaphor: every conceivable terror dwells in her depths; she receives all wreckage, refuse, corruption of every kind, she pulls down into her depths human calamity indescribable; but none of this is any consideration to the sea. Let the screaming mortal passengers fight for room in the lifeboats, as the wreck belches flame and settles below the extinguishing wave; next morning she’ll still be beautiful and serene, her combers no less white, her distances as blue, her seabirds no less graceful as they wheel in the pure air. What perfection, to be so heartless. An inspiration to any lesser immortal.

It takes thousands of them to create an archive of human wisdom; only one to set a torch to it. Wouldn’t you have to say, then, that the work of the librarians is more typical of mortal behavior than the work of the arsonist?

When will you stop this metaphysical nonsense? said Edward wearily. But I suppose you've no other way to look at the matter, born as you were in an age of superstitious piety.

Consigned to everlasting fire, said Nicholas in a faint voice. He had gone white as chalk.
No, you medieval imbecile! Edward clenched his fists. You still have no grasp of the truth, have you? Leave your angels and devils in the trash of history, where they belong.

He caught his breath, absorbing the impact of the scientific discoveries, the advances in scholarship, the inevitable dwindling into insignificance of issues that had mattered more than his life. He closed his eyes, turned his face away, but he couldn’t stop his understanding.
“You see?” said Edward. “They’re all happy pagans nowadays. When they take the trouble to worship at all. Enlightenment swept most of that nonsense away, and good riddance!”

Very shortly the temple was once again a wonder of the world, and the Ephesian Church settled down to a long reign marked only by the usual bitter quarrels, heresies, and internal dissent through which all major faiths struggle.
Any religion begins in a moment of transforming truth. That moment quickly shatters into falsehood and shame and stagecraft, bitter comedy, sometimes murder. Thieves catch hold of any chance for power. The early years of a faith are best not too closely examined by its faithful.

Rutherford was a historian, after all, and secretly enjoyed it when the truth did injury to modern sensibilities.

“Alec is beautiful,” said Jill, bending down to kiss him.
“Like a mushroom cloud!” scoffed Balkister.

How, in this day and age, can any one of you claim to be better than your fellow human beings?
Because we are, said Marilyn Deighton-True with a shrug. Face reality, Giles, or it will face you. You can spout all the socialiste nouveau crap you like, but it simply doesn't apply to a meritocracy.

With the invention of printing, mass standardized culture had become possible.
With the inventions of photography and then cinema, the standardization of popular culture began to progress geometrically and its rate of change slowed down. In addition, the complete documentation of daily life made possible by these technological advances presented the mass of humanity, for the first time in history, with a mirror in which to regard itself. Less and less had it been able to look away, as its own image became more detailed and perfect, especially with the burden of information that became available at the end of the twentieth century.
What this meant, in practical terms, was that retro was the only fashion.

Isn't that a little hard on him? You're not only making him feel bad about something he didn't do, you're making him feel bad about something that didn't even shracking happen.
I believe churches used to call it original sin, Rutherford agreed, looking crafty. But what does it matter, if it serves to make him a better man?