At times, your cynicism borders on impudence. - Isaac Asimov

la caída del imperio, caballeros, es algo monumental y no puede combatirse fácilmente. Está dictada por una burocracia en aumento, una recesión de la iniciativa, una congelación de las castas, un estancamiento de la curiosidad… y muchos factores más.

Now then, young man, don't ask me to stop the Pumping. The economy and comfort of the entire planet depend on it. Tell me, instead, how to keep the Pumping from exploding the Sun.

I'm afraid you don't understand the situation. There's a good million of us here on Terminus, and not more than a hundred and fifty thousand are working directly on the Encyclopedia. To the rest of us, this is home. We were born here. We're living here. Compared with our farms and our homes and our factories, the Encyclopedia means little to us. We want them protected — ' He was shouted down. 'The Encyclopedia first,' ground out Crast. 'We have a mission to fulfil.' 'Mission, hell,' shouted Hardin. 'That might have been true fifty years ago. But this is a new generation.' 'That has nothing to do with it,' replied Pirenne. 'We are scientists.