A few years ago, I picked up a book on number theory, since it's a field of Mathematics that has occasionally fascinated me, and I was looking for something fun and relaxing to read (because that's just the kind of pathetic nerd I am, reading math books for fun and relaxation). Anyway, I was reading along, relaxing and enjoying myself, when suddenly, in the middle of the book (
An Adventurer's Guide to Number Theory, by Richard Friedberg; page 84, to be exact), a quote jumped off the page at me. Now, as fun and/or relaxing as a good math book can be, I don't generally read them because they're just so doggone quotable; but whatchagonnado? See if you don't agree that, even coming from a math book, this is pretty good -
"Every advance may bring a loss.
When people have electric lamps, they may forget how to build a fire.
When they have automobiles, they may forget how to ride a horse.
When they have weapons, they may forget how to make friends,
and when they have money, they may forget how to pray."
