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Moreover, the unknown is naturally the enemy of man.
They knew that resignation is virtue, and pride a vice; that “We” is from “God,” “I,” from the devil.
Who is ignorant of the simple fact that pains are negative items that reduce that sum total we call happiness?
Needless to say, in this respect as in all others we have no place for contingencies; nothing unexpected can happen.
The history of the OneState knows not a single case in which upon this solemn day even a solitary voice has dared to violate the magnificent unison.
“How do I know? Man is like a novel: up to the last page one does not know what the end will be. It would not be worth reading otherwise.”
“Mephi? It is from Mephisto.
better. There are two forces in the world, entropy and energy. One leads into blessed quietude, to happy
equilibrium, the other to the destruction of equilibrium, to torturingly perpetual motion. Our, or rather your ancestors, the Christians, worshiped entropy like a God. But we are not Christians, we …”
“It is inconceivable! It is absurd! Is it not clear to you that what you are planning is a revolution? Absurd, because a revolution is impossible! Because our—I speak for myself and for you—our revolution was the last one.
Desires are tortures, aren’t they? It is clear, therefore, that happiness is when there are no longer any desires, not a single desire any more.
reborn. For only what is killed can be reborn.
There is no infinity. If the universe is infinite, then the average density of matter must equal zero; but since we know it is not zero, therefore the universe is finite; it is spherical in form, and the square of its radius—R2—is equal to the average density multiplied by … The only thing left is to calculate the numerical coefficient and then … Do you realize what it means? It means that everything is final, everything is simple …
No postponement is possible, for there still is chaos, groaning, cadavers, beasts in the western section; and to our regret there are still quantities of Numbers who have betrayed Reason.
And I hope we win. More than that; I am certain we shall win. For Reason
must prevail.
