How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
The legacy of World War Terminus had diminished in potency; those who could not survive the dust had passed into oblivion years ago, and the dust, weaker now and confronting the strong survivors, only deranged minds and genetic properties. Despite his lead codpiece, the dust—undoubtedly—filtered in and at him, brought him daily, so long as he failed to emigrate, its little load of befouling filth. (1.31)
In this future society, even waking up in the morning and heading to work is an act of perseverance. We have a hard enough time getting up in the morning when the sun is shining, and the birds are singing as they help us dress.
Quote #2
However, just for the heck of it, [Rick] wiggled his bent Sidney's out of his coat pocket, thumbed to ostrich comma male-female, old-young, sick-well, mint-used, and inspected the prices. (3.30)
The desire to keep objects from the past alive and vital, rather than let them decay into oblivion, is a pretty fundamental human trait, at least in modern civilization. It's why the Smithsonian exists, and why pawn shop owners prefer to deal in authentic, mint-condition items. The future deals with animals in pawn shop-type businesses, demonstrating this fact in a seriously surreal way.
Quote #3
The chairs, the carpet, the tables—all had rotted away; they sagged in mutual ruin, victims of the despotic force of time. And of abandonment. No one had lived in this apartment for years; the ruin had become almost complete. (6.17)
The world at large may be decaying, but smaller portions of it—like the home—are a mess, too. Hey, it could be worse. Not even the ravages of time can compete with our freshman dorm rooms.