The Martian

by Andy Weir

They say no plan survives first contact with implementation. I’d have to agree.

As with most of life’s problems, this one can be solved by a box of pure radiation.

But really, they did it because every human being has a basic instinct to help each other out.

If a hiker gets lost in the mountains, people will coordinate a search. If a train crashes, people will line up to give blood. If an earthquake levels a city, people all over the world will send emergency supplies. This is so fundamentally human that it’s found in every culture without exception. Yes, there are assholes who just don’t care, but they’re massively outnumbered by the people who do. And because of that, I had billions of people on my side.