If your people spent less time maintaining their own devalued myths about themselves and more upon studying the world as it is I think your city woul… - Michael Moorcock

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If your people spent less time maintaining their own devalued myths about themselves and more upon studying the world as it is I think your city would have a greater chance of surviving. As it is, the place is crumbling beneath the weight of its own degraded fictions. The legends which offer a race their sense of pride and history eventually become putrid..."
"We are unconcerned with matters of philosophy," Manag Iss said with evident poor temper. "We do not question the motives or the ideas of those who employ us. That is written in our charters."
"And therefore must be obeyed!" Elric smiled. "Thus you celebrate your decadence and resist reality.