In intelligent life, human or Martian, maybe there has always been a genuine division between those who honor the individuality of others and those w… - Edgar Pangborn

You have to fight back. Can't afford not to, with your intelligence. People hate intelligence, didn't you know?
"Depends on what it does to 'em, doesn't it?"
"Not so much, Angelo. Dream up a new gadget, they'll be grateful for a while," said Feuermann's voice. "It'll be only the gadget they love, not the brain that made it—that they fear. They may have enough superstitious dread to worship it—devil-worship—but never will they respect it except superstitiously."

One would think that the mere shortness of life would be a reminder that to destroy beauty is to destroy one’s own self too.

If there must be blame, then all citizens—you, I, everyone—are responsible for letting it be that kind of world, for not placing ethical development ahead of every other kind. We understand ethical necessities quite well; we’ve been capable of understanding them for several thousand years; but we haven’t been willing to let them rule our actions—it’s that simple.