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Say nothing to me of innocent bystanders, unearned…

“Say nothing to me of innocent bystanders, unearned suffering, heartless vengeance. When a comm builds atop a fault line, do you blame its walls when they inevitably crush the people inside? No; you blame whoever was stupid enough to think they could defy the laws of nature forever. Well, some…” quote by N.K. Jemisin
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““Say nothing to me of innocent bystanders, unearned suffering, heartless vengeance. When a comm builds atop a fault line, do you blame its walls when they inevitably crush the people inside? No; you blame whoever was stupid enough to think they could defy the laws of nature forever. Well, some worlds are built on a fault line of pain, held up by nightmares. Don’t lament when those worlds fall. Rage that they were built doomed in the first place.””

N.K. Jemisin

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Human constructs built on fragile foundations are doomed; blame lies with creators, not the structure.

In simple terms: Faulty foundations cause collapse; blame creators.

Key Takeaway

Build on solid foundations.

Themes

responsibility creation consequences

Mood

cautious determined

Type

cautionary inspirational

When to use this quote

  • urban planning
  • software design
  • social movements
  • personal relationships
  • policy making

Key Concepts

philosophy systems theory

Questions to Reflect On

  • What foundations in your life are fragile?
  • How can you reinforce them?
A Different Perspective

Sometimes external forces also cause failure; not all blame is internal.

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