Parable of the Talents (Earthseed, #2)

by Octavia E. Butler

But beneath it all was always Earthseed and a longing, an obsession, that was far stronger than anyone seemed to realize. People who are intelligent, ambitious, and at the same time, in the grip of odd obsessions can be dangerous. When they occur, they inevitably upset things.

In The First Book of the Living, my mother says, Prodigy is, in its essence, adaptability and persistent, positive obsession. Without persistence, what remains is an enthusiasm of the moment. Without adaptability, what remains may be channeled into destructive fanaticism. Without positive obsession, there is nothing at all.

“What about President Jarret?” “What about him?” “He’s dangerous. His being President is going to make a difference, even to us. I’m sure of it.” “We’re nothing to him, so small, so insignificant—” “Remember Dovetree.” Dovetree was the last thing I wanted to remember. So was that state senate candidate that Marc mentioned. Both were real, and perhaps both meant danger to us, but what could I do about either of them? And how could I let the fear of them stop me? “This country is over 250 years old,” I said. “It’s had bad leaders before. It survived them. We’ll have to watch what Jarret does, change when necessary, adapt, maybe keep a little quieter than we have for a while. But we’ve always had to adapt to changes. We always will. God is Change. If we have to start saying ‘Long live Jarret’ and ‘God bless Christian America,’ then we’ll say it. He’s temporary.” “So are we. And living with him won’t be that easy.”

“This is like nothing we’ve faced before.” Bankole’s shoulders slumped, and he sighed. “I don’t know that this country has ever had a leader as bad as Jarret or as bad as Jarret might turn out to be: Keep that in mind. Now that you’re a mother, you’ve got to let go of some of the Earthseed thinking and think of your child. I want you to look at Larkin and think of her every time you want to make some grand decision.”

When we have no difficult, long-term purpose to strive toward, we fight each other. We destroy ourselves. We have these chaotic, apocalyptic periods of murderous craziness.” I stopped for a moment, then let myself say what I had never said to anyone. He had a right to hear it. “Early on, when I told people about the Destiny, and most of them laughed, I was afraid. I worried that I couldn’t do this, couldn’t reach people and help them see truth. Later, when the people of Acorn began to accept all the Earthseed teachings except the Destiny, I worried more. People seem to be willing to believe all kinds of stupid things—magic, the supernatural, witchcraft….But I couldn’t get them to believe in something real, something that they could make real with their own hands. Now…now most of the people here accept the Destiny. They believe me and follow me, and…damned if I don’t worry even more.”

From EARTHSEED: THE BOOKS OF THE LIVING Choose your leaders with wisdom and forethought. To be led by a coward is to be controlled by all that the coward fears. To be led by a fool is to be led by the opportunists who control the fool. To be led by a thief is to offer up your most precious treasures to be stolen. To be led by a liar is to ask to be told lies. To be led by a tyrant is to sell yourself and those you love into slavery.

Q