Empire of the Ants Quotes

“I have seen human beings who have forged "intellectual" armor to shield themselves from adversity. They seemed stronger than most. They said, "I couldn't care less," and laughed at everything, but when adversity managed to pierce their armor, it caused terrible damage.

I have seen human beings suffer from the slightest adversity, the slightest annoyance, but still remain open-minded and sensitive to everything, learning something from each attack.”
― Bernard Werber, Empire of the Ants

“Between two brains, there will always be misunderstandings and lies caused by parasitic smells, drafts and poor-quality reception.”
― Bernard Werber, Empire of the Ants

“There were some things it was better not to know. They caused "metaphysical" anguish, for which there was as yet no remedy. When it was worried, the Tribe was inhibited and unable to act.

It was very bad for everyone. The Tribe started to produce toxins that poisoned it. Its long-term survival was more important than short-term knowledge of the truth. If an eye had seen something that the brain knew was dangerous for the rest of the organism, it was better for the brain to put out that eye.”
― Bernard Werber, Empire of the Ants

“He felt useless and degraded, as if he no longer lived for others but for himself alone.”
― Bernard Werber, Empire of the Ants

“OLD MAN: In Africa, people are sadder about the death of an old man than about that of a newborn baby. The old man represented a wealth of experience that might have benefited the tribe, whereas the newborn baby had not lived and could not even be aware of dying. In Europe, people are sad about the newborn baby because they think he might well have done wonderful things if he had lived. On the other hand, they pay little attention to the death of the old man, who had already lived his life anyway.

--Edmond Wells
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF RELATIVE AND ABSOLUTE KNOWLEDGE”
― Bernard Werber, Empire of the Ants

“At the moment of death, the soul's impressions are similar to those of initiates in the ways of the Great Mysteries.

First they rush along blindly, twisting and turning, on an endless, anxious journey through the shadows.

Then, just before the end, their fear reaches its height. Bathed in cold sweat, they shiver and tremble, utterly terrified.

This phase is almost immediately followed by a return to the light, a sudden illumination.

They are surrounded by a marvelous glow and move through pure places and meadows ringing with voices and dancing.

Sacred words inspire religious respect. The perfect initiate is free to celebrate the Mysteries.”
― Bernard Werber, Empire of the Ants

“Jonathan nu prea știa să dialogheze. Considera că discuția era făcută pentru a servi ca vas comunicant. Există unul care știe ceva, vasul plin, și unul care nu știe, vasul gol, acesta fiind de obicei chiar el.
Cel care nu știe e numai urechi și ațâță din când în când râvna interlocutorului prin „și?”, „vorbește-mi de asta” și mișcări din cap.”
― Bernard Werber, Empire of the Ants

“The stronger the enemy, the more we must surpass ourselves”
― Bernard Werber, Empire of the Ants

“TOTALITARIANISM: People are interested in ants because they think they have managed to create a successful totalitarian system. Certainly, the impression we get from the outside is that everyone in the anthill works, everyone is obedient, everyone is ready to sacrifice themselves and everyone is the same. And for the time being, all human totalitarian systems have failed. That is why we thought of copying social insects (like Napoleon, whose emblem was the bee). The pheromones that flood the anthill with global information have an equivalent in the planetary television of today. There is a widespread belief that if the best is made available to all, one day we will end up with a perfect human race. That is not the way of things. Nature, with all due respect to Mr Darwin, does not evolve in the direction of the supremacy of the best (according to which criteria, anyway?). Nature draws its strength from diversity. It needs all kinds of people, good, bad, mad, desperate, sporty, bed-ridden, hunchbacked, hare-lipped, happy, sad, intelligent, stupid, selfish, generous, small, tall, black, yellow, red and white. It needs all religions, philosophies, fanaticisms and wisdom. The only danger is that any one species may be eliminated by another. In the past, fields of maize artificially designed by men and made up of clones of the best heads (the ones that need least water, are most frost-resistant or produce the best grains) have suddenly succumbed to trivial infections while fields of wild maize made up of several different strains, each with its own peculiar strengths and weaknesses, have always managed to survive epidemics. Nature hates uniformity and loves diversity. It is in this perhaps that its essential genius lies.

Edmond Wells
Encyclopedia of Relative and Absolute Knowledge”
― Bernard Werber, Empire of the Ants

“Колкото по-силен е противникът, толкова повече той ни кара да надминаваме себе си.”
― Bernard Werber, Empire of the Ants

“Время относительно для всех, потому что каждый воспринимает его по-разному.
Чтобы узнать цену года, спроси студента, который провалился на экзамене. Чтобы узнать цену месяца, спроси мать, родившую преждевременно. Чтобы узнать цену недели, спроси редактора еженедельника. Чтобы узнать цену часа, спроси влюблённого, ждущего свою возлюбленную. Чтобы узнать цену минуты, спроси опоздавшего на поезд. Чтобы узнать цену секунды, спроси того, кто потерял близкого человека в автокатастрофе. Чтобы узнать цену одной тысячной секунды, спроси серебряного медалиста Олимпийских игр.
Стрелки часов не остановят свой бег. Поэтому дорожите каждым моментом Вашей жизни. И цените сегодняшний день, как величайший дар, который вам дан.


<<Империя ангелов>> Бернар Вербер”
― Бернар Вербер, Empire of the Ants

“Високите дози телевизия имат успокояващо действие, подобно на аналгетиците. Човек се чувства омекнал, с празна глава, попил с очи проблеми, които не го засягат.”
― Bernard Werber, Empire of the Ants

“Телевизията беше най-доброто средство да изключи машината, която всеки път по време на разследване отказваше да спре вечер. Дори когато спи и сънува, човек пак работи. Докато телевизията направо изпразва ума. Невроните излизат в отпуск и мозъчните лампички престават да мигат. Блаженство.”
― Bernard Werber, Empire of the Ants

“Функцията създава органа, ала липсата на функция го разрушава. Тъй като единственото предназначение на мравките-цистерни е да бъдат пълнени и източвани, те постепенно са се превърнали в бинарни механизми.”
― Bernard Werber, Empire of the Ants

“С това, което даваш, ставаш по-богат, с това, което вземаш, ставаш по-беден.”
― Bernard Werber, Empire of the Ants

“Трите най-важни рецепти на живота, завещани от царица Рум-ум-на
Кой е най-важният момент в живота?
Кое е най-важното нещо, което трябва да бъде свършено?
Коя е тайната на благоденствието?
Най-важният момент е сега, защото може да се въздейства само върху настоящето. Ако не се погрижиш за настоящето, ще пропуснеш и бъдещето.
Най-важното нещо е да се преориш с това, което те грози?
Да си жив и да стъпваш по земята. Нищо повече.”
― Bernard Werber, Empire of the Ants

“Правя за вас най-изискания жест на гостоприемство в наше време, като ви предлагам да погледате телевизия.”
― Bernard Werber, Empire of the Ants

“Natura urăște uniformitatea și iubește diversitatea. Poate că în asta și constă geniul ei.”
― Bernard Werber, Empire of the Ants

“Totul se hotărăște înainte de contact. Mandibula sau jetul de acid nu fac decât să consfințească o situație de dominare deja recunoscută de cei doi adversari... Totul este un joc al minții. Trebuie să accepți victoria și atunci nimic nu rezistă.”
― Bernard Werber, Empire of the Ants

“Ne complicăm viața vrând să compunem fraze sofisticate și complimente pentru a-i seduce pe ceilalți; dar Bilsheim băgase de seamă că acest simplu cuvânt, „evident”, era mai mult decât suficient. Încă un mister al comunicării interumane elucidat.”
― Bernard Werber, Empire of the Ants

“După câteva ore de CA la o temperatură apropiată de 15°, un grup de furnici galbene, mercenare, găsesc o idee, imediat recunoscută de ceilalţi centri nervoşi ca fiind cea mai bună.
Întâmplarea face ca Bel-o-kan să aibă numeroase mercenare dintr-o specie oarecum deosebită, "sfărâmătoarele de grăunţe". Caracteristic pentru ele este capul voluminos şi mandibulele lungi şi tăioase care le permit să strivească până şi grăunţele cele mai tari. În luptă nu sunt prea eficace, căci au un corp prea greoi şi picioarele prea scurte.
Aşa că de ce să se târască anevoie până la locul înfruntării, fără să provoace adversarului decât prea puţine pagube? Până la urmă, furnicile roşcate le-au încredinţat sarcini menajere, ca de exemplu tăierea rămurelelor groase.
După părerea furnicilor galbene, există totuşi un mijloc de a transforma aceste făpturi greoaie în trăsnete războinice. E suficient să fie duse în spinare de şase mici lucrătoare agile!
În felul acesta, "sfărâmătoarele de grăunţe", îndrumându-şi prin mirosuri "picioarele vii", se pot năpusti cu mare viteză asupra adversarelor ca să le facă bucăţele cu mandibulele lor lungi.
Câteva luptătoare îndopate cu zahăr fac încercări în solariu. Şase furnici ridică o sfărâmătoare de grăunţe şi aleargă, încercând să-şi sincronizeze paşii. Totul pare să funcţioneze foarte bine.
Cetatea Bel-o-kan inventase tancul.”
― Bernard Werber, Empire of the Ants

“Inimesed arvavad, et kõigile kõige paremat pakkudes saab neist lõpuks täiuslik ühiskond. See aga pole asja mõte.
Loodus - mõelgu hr. Darwin ükskõik mida - ei arene parima ülevõimu poole (milliste kriteeriumide järgi ta siis areneb?). Loodus ammutab jõudu mitmekesisusest. Ta vajab häid, kurje, hulle, meeleheitlikke, sportlikke, vigaseid, küürakaid, jänesemokalisi, rõõmsaid, kurbi, intelligentseid, rumalaid, egoiste, heldeid, väikesi, suuri, musti, kollaseid, punaseid, valgeid ... Ta vajab kõiki religioone, kõiki filosoofiaid, kõiki fanatisme, kõiki tarkusi ... Ainus oht on see, kui üks neist liikidest kõrvaldab teise.
Me oleme näinud, kuidas kunstlikult loodud, kahest parimast peast (sellisest, mis vajab kõige vähem vett, talub kõige paremini külma ja annab kõige ilusamaid teri) aretatud maisi põllud on korraga õige tühisemagi haiguse tagajärjel hävinud. Samal ajal aga on metsiku maisi põllud, mis koosnevad mitmetest erinevatest tüvedest - igaüks oma iseärasuste, nõrkuste ja kõrvalekalletega -, alati leidnud kaitse epideemiate vastu.
Loodus vihkab ühetaolist ja armastab mitmekesisust. Võib-olla selles seisnebki tema geniaalsus.”
― Bernard Werber, Empire of the Ants

“Ämblike filosoofia esimene õpetus: Pole olemas paremat võistlustehnikat kui ootamine, kuni su vastane enda ise hävitab...”
― Bernard Werber, Empire of the Ants

“Ühiskonnas tõuseb lihtsamalt ja kiiremini kõrgele see, kes oskab kütkestada, mõrtsukaid liita, valeinformatsiooni levitada, kui see, kes oskab toota uusi mõtteid ja asju.”
― Bernard Werber, Empire of the Ants

“103 683e a repéré une odeur parasite. Les murs ont des antennes.”
― Bernard Werber, Les Fourmis