În lipsa unui computer, o civilizaţie puternică poate deveni periculoasă, şi de aceea e mai bine să fie distrusă. - Isaac Asimov

The Imperial forces must keep their hands off, but they find that they can do much even so. Each sector is encouraged to be suspicious of its neighbors. Within each sector, economic and social classes are encouraged to wage a kind of war with each other. The result is that all over Trantor it is impossible for the people to take united action. Everywhere, the people would rather fight each other than make a common stand against the central tyranny and the Empire rules without having to exert force.

Para ocupar las regiones despobladas de lo que había sido Israel, Sargón llevó allí a deportados de otras inquietas provincias conquistadas. Los recién llegados se mezclaron por matrimonio con los campesinos israelitas que habían quedado, y los miembros de esta población formada por inmigrantes y nativos, y centrada alrededor de la ciudad de Samaria, fueron llamados samaritanos en generaciones posteriores.

When, however, the lay public rallies round an idea that is denounced by distinguished but elderly scientists and supports that idea with great fervor and emotion — the distinguished but elderly scientists are then, after all, probably right.