How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph.Page)
Quote #10
People shouldn't live here. People should not settle in a rocky terrain devoid of water or rain. But then where should they live? Nature tells man that she will kill him anywhere. In a flat land, she will kill him with tornadoes. Live near a coast and she will send tsunamis to erase centuries of work […] Nature wants to kill, kill, kill, laugh at our work, wipe itself clean. (XXVII.74.263).
You know how Alan has "out-of-body" experiences while he's in Saudi Arabia? He often can't believe he's there, or acting a certain way, and feels like he's got some kind of split personality issue. He's having another moment kind of like that right here, except with larger cosmic issues at stake. Here, man is the foreigner, the "person" who doesn't belong at the party. The Earth belongs to Nature—and she has no intention of making exceptions to help man thrive.