# Quote — Iain M. Banks, Look To Windward

> The background to the war, my studious Homomdan pal, is three thousand years of ruthless oppression, cultural imperialism, economic exploitation, systematic torture, sexual tyranny and the cult of greed ingrained almost to the point of genetic inheritability.

- Author: [Iain M. Banks](https://www.leafyquotes.com/iain-m-banks.md)
- Book: [Look To Windward](https://www.leafyquotes.com/iain-m-banks/look-to-windward.md)
- Page: 66
- Source: [Wikiquote](https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Iain_Banks#Look_to_Windward_(2000)) ([CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/))
- Quote page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/iain-m-banks/look-to-windward/the-background-to-the

## More from this book

> “You serious?”
>
> “I’m always serious, never more so than when I’m being flippant.”

p. 231 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/iain-m-banks/look-to-windward/you-serious-im-always.md)

> Believe me; democracy in action can be an unpretty sight.

p. 198 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/iain-m-banks/look-to-windward/believe-me-democracy.md)

> “Elated? Pleased?”
>
> “Those are the closest words. There is an undeniable elation in causing mayhem, in bringing about such massive destruction. As for feeling pleased, I felt pleasure that some of those who died did so because they were stupid enough to believe in gods or afterlives that do not exist, even though I felt a terrible sorrow for them as they died in their ignorance and thanks to their folly.”

p. 315 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/iain-m-banks/look-to-windward/elated-pleased-those.md)