Octavia E. Butler - Earthseed, Book 1 -… [387]

“That’s why we have target practice every week and Lazor wire and our emergency bell. Your idea for emergency packs is a good one. Some people already have them. For earthquakes. Some will assemble them if I suggest it. And, of course, some won’t do anything at all. There are always people who won’t do anything.” — , Octavia E. Butler - Earthseed, Book 1 -…, 387

Note

Preparation described as a triage of temperaments rather than a logistics problem — the speaker audits his own neighbors in real time and ends on the flat, unarguable third category. The triple rhythm (some already / some will if / some won’t) does the work without commentary, and ‘There are always people who won’t do anything’ lands as earned resignation rather than judgment.