“They are like a peculiar species of animal who, upon witnessing a volcano, becomes pathologically impressed by inner representations of the power of this event — and, wanting to command and thus contain this power — returns to its home, burns it down, collects some ashes, and (with great ceremony) places them in a special jar.

These strange beings carry and display these jars publicly — venerating and trading them — adoring them in place of each other and their relationships — all the while perfectly unaware that the ashes they contain were once homes and hearths — indeed, they were lives and worlds.”

— an anonymous informant