Delirium, dream, death—Three-D. What was the fourth? - Justina Robson

You could try and breed territoriality out of the bone, but like a bad fairy it popped up again and again in all sorts of guises and from all kinds of DNA. As long as there was plenty, then everyone was happy to pay culture its due, but as soon as there was trouble—bang, out came the demonization memes and, lo and behold, they were back to the Dark Ages faster than you could say “mattock.”

The gun is a consequence of our minds. If we were in love with peace, and had no will to destroy each other, there would be no gun.

On the other hand...why was there always an “other hand”?