Chapter 4 “Dependency Principle” section V (p. 129).

He wanted to be who he was, not the person he would become if he lost the one trait that distinguished him from everybody else, no matter how perverse that decision seemed to others.

— Iain Banks

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "He wanted to be who he was, not the person he would become if he lost the one trait that distinguished him from everybody else, no matter how perverse that decision seemed to others." in the context of "Chapter 4 “Dependency Principle” section V (p. 129)." to mean that wisdom is timeless.

Source: Wikiquote: "Iain Banks" (Quotes, Culture series, Excession (1996): All page numbers from the hardcover edition published by Bantam Books ) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
Iain Banks

About Iain Banks

Iain Menzies Banks (February 16, 1954 – June 9, 2013), officially Iain Banks, was a Scottish writer. As Iain M. Banks he wrote science fiction; as Iain Banks he wrote literary fiction.