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Quote by Marge Piercy

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He, She and It

The story explores themes of human-robot relationships, identity, and the nature of consciousness in a world where technology has advanced to a point where artificial beings possess emotions and intelligence. more

Author

Marge Piercy
Marge Piercy

Marge Piercy is an American poet born on March 31, 1936. Her poetry extensively covers social and political issues, known for her profound social consciousness and feminist perspective. more

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“Destiny is surely propelled by desires. Desires push and pull you to make big moves and landslide changes, but they don’t propel you to the people who will help shape those desires. The street directions of our life’s path are difficult to read. They aren’t intuitive... they’re the product of the minutiae of our daily lives: accidental meetings and chances that happen while you’re getting fed or finding shelter. And on the road, that means the influence of complete strangers.”

“Weather is a purely personal matter. There is no such thing as a climate that is cold or hot, good or bad, healthy or unhealthy. People take it upon themselves to create a fantasy in their imagination and call it weather. There's only one climate in the world, but the message that nature sends is interpreted according to strictly personal, non-transferable rules.”

“Just consider the next thought that pops up in your mind. Where did it come from? Did you freely choose to think it, and only then did you think it? Certainly not. The process of self-exploration begins with simple things, and becomes progressively harder. At first, we realise that we do not control the world outside us. I don’t decide when it rains. Then we realise that we do not control what’s happening inside our own body. I don’t control my blood pressure. Next, we understand that we don’t even govern our brain. I don’t tell the neurons when to fire. Ultimately we should realise that we do not control our desires, or even our reactions to these desires. Realising this can help us become less obsessive about our opinions, about our feelings, and about our desires. We don’t have free will, but we can be a bit more free from the tyranny of our will. Humans usually give so much importance to their desires that they try to control and shape the entire world according to these desires. In pursuit of their cravings, humans fly to the moon, wage world wars, and destabilise the entire ecosystem. If we understand that our desires are not the magical manifestations of free choice, but rather are the product of biochemical processes (influenced by cultural factors that are also beyond our control), we might be less preoccupied with them. It is better to understand ourselves, our minds and our desires rather than try to realise whatever fantasy pops up in our heads.”