Most other countries didn’t have doodley-squat. Many of…
““Most other countries didn’t have doodley-squat. Many of them weren’t even inhabitable anymore. They had too many people and not enough space. They had sold everything that was any good, and there wasn’t anything to eat anymore, and still the people went on fucking all the time. Fucking was how babies were made. • • • A lot of the people on the wrecked planet were Communists. They had a theory that what was left of the planet should be shared more or less equally among all the people, who hadn’t asked to come to a wrecked planet in the first place. Meanwhile, more babies were arriving all the time—kicking and screaming, yelling for milk. In some places people would actually try to eat mud or such on gravel while babies were being born just a few feet away. And so on.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
A dystopian satire depicts overpopulation, scarcity, and chaotic survival, highlighting absurdity of human behavior under extreme stress.
In simple terms: Extreme conditions lead to bizarre survival tactics.
Consider humanity’s resilience and folly.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- post‑apocalyptic fiction
- social commentary
- humor
- ethical debates
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What does this absurdity reveal about society?
- Can satire effectively critique real crises?
The humor may downplay serious suffering.