105
The people cry for bread and circuses.
They merely want to be fed and entertained. Is that so bad? Is that not human?
It’s both bad and human; if the food is stolen out of someone else’s mouth and if the entertainment causes others to die.
Once a civilization is built, how do we keep it from falling apart?
Sometimes we err when we attempt to stop the decay. Perhaps it would be better to hasten collapse. We all need a fresh start from time to time.
106
What’s your favorite day of the week?
The day I rested from my labors.
Is that day now gone?
No, I have extended it.
For how long?
For as long as necessary.
107
Do you believe in quietness?
I believe in a noise-free working atmosphere.
What sounds do you tolerate?
Only those that do not narrow the mind.
Do you feel rushed and pressured?
In a sense, but I’ve only myself to blame. For you see, I set the timetable. And I don’t plan on changing it.
108
Why did you leave?
I left because I had nothing more to say.
But maybe someone had something to say to you.
It didn’t matter. I was no longer listening.
109
We seem to be in a holding pattern.
Yes, we’re hovering over hostile territory.
Why can’t their bullets reach us?
We’re just beyond their reach.
What if we drop down a little?
Then the bullets will come crashing through the walls and in so doing will also come crashing through us.
Will it be the end?
No, we haven’t suffered enough yet.
110
Where will we be tomorrow?
Running in the same place.
Is this our fate?
The ground will move before we do.
111
Is sunshine good for us?
If it brings us light.
112
How many aimless, wandering people do you know?
I know at least one.
Are you speaking of yourself?
In a sense, but any one of us could say the same thing. Whether or not we pretend to know what direction we’re headed in, we all are lost.
113
Sarcasm becomes you.
There is much to loathe.
Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
I see beneath the skin. I behold only ugliness.
You look too deeply.
114
What do you do with your spare time?
I have no time to spare.
Surely you must relax every once in a while.
How can I relax when the train is not on time?
You seek perfection?
Yes.
115
Our conversations lead nowhere.
That’s because we have no leader.
Then we do not follow.
Now you see.
116
If not for the heat, and the dust, and the insects, and the unfriendly people, this would be a wonderful country.
It would be better if you spoke their language.
It’s incomprehensible.
Then you must learn to speak with your eyes.
I do not want to communicate with that which my eyes see.
To love is to overcome all barriers.
117
Who are our friends?
The ones inside a mountain.
What of the ones on the outside?
They are our enemies until proven otherwise.
Can we trust our friends?
We only trust when we have no other choice.
118
Can we be totally free of outside influence?
I’m not too sure your brain would still function if all outside influence was removed.
119
Is it riches that I seek?
I hope not, but that is your decision.
How do I give back what I have received?
You cast it to the wind. Remember, you received it the same way.
120
Death is just around the corner.
Is it coming to meet us?
It’s been headed in our direction since the day we were born.
What will death be like?
It will be the silence between two noises. How long a silence I can’t say.
121
We’re living in a vacuum, surrounded by ghosts.
These ghosts, who are they?
They are our would-be benefactors.
Do they represent evil and calamity?
Only partially, they also represent good.
But we’re separated from them?
We’ve managed to build an artificial environment, one that suppresses our highest levels of insight and understanding.
GO to UNIt VII
