This is not my own writing - but I simply marvelled at this extended metaphor used by John Brunner in "the Shockwave Rider" of 1975 and I have modified it minimally to use in these pages (the un-cut excerpt is further down the page).

O Unimportant Pebble


			One might as well claim
			That the tide which rubs pebbles smooth
			Is doing the pebbles a service -
			Being round is prettier than being jagged.
			Though it is of no concern to a pebble what shape it is,
			It is of utmost importance to a person.
			As stereotypes are adopted,
			By people with no better judgement,
			Every surge of the tide
			Reduces the variety of shapes
			That a human being can adopt.


© R. A. W. S. Clarke

"First we had the legs race. Then we had the arms race. Now we're going to have the brain race. And, if we're lucky, the final stage will be the human race."

To a man who works for a secret government department whose aim is to evolve and strengthen genius minds - at the cost of $3m per student per year, because of which the students are not let go of, ever:

"One might as well claim that the tide which rubs pebbles smooth is doing the pebbles a service because being round is prettier than being jagged. It's of no concern to a pebble what shape it is. But it's very important to a person. Every surge of your tide is reducing the variety of shapes that a human being can adopt."


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