Books In English "City Of Illusions" Ursula K. Le Guin | Page 120

"Tell me what I ask," Falk said, knowing the futility of his
stubbornness.
"I will tell you what I told you before, and as best I can, though it is
Ken Kenyek who knows these matters best. He is our most skilled
mindhandler. Do you wish me to call him?—no doubt he will be willing to
project to us here. No? It does not matter, of course. Crudely expressed,
the answer to your question is this: Your mind was, as we say, razed.
Mindrazing is an operation, not a surgical one of course, but a paramental
one involving psychoelectric equipment, the effects of which are much
more absolute than those of any mere hypnotic block. The restoration of a
razed mind is possible, but is a much more drastic matter, accordingly,
than the removal of a hypnotic block. What is in question, to you, at this
moment, is a secondary, super-added, partial memory and
personality-structure, which you now call your 'self.' This is, of course, not
the case. Looked at impartially, this second-growth self of yours is a mere
rudiment, emotionally stunted and intellectually incompetent, compared to
the true self which lies so deeply hidden. As we cannot and do not expect
you to be able to look at it impartially, however, we wish we could assure
you that the restoration of Ramarren will include the continuity of Falk.
And we have been tempted to lie to you about this, to spare you fear and
doubt and make your decision easy. But it is best that you know the truth;
we would not have it otherwise, nor, I think, would you. The truth is this:
when we restore to its normal condition and function the synaptic totality
of your original mind, if I may so simplify the incredibly complex
operation which Ken Kenyek and his psychocomputers are ready to
perform, this restoration will entail the total blocking of the secondary
synaptic totality which you now consider to be your mind and self. This
secondary totality will be irrecoverably suppressed: razed in its turn."
"To revive Ramarren you must kill Falk, then."
"We do not kill," the Shing said in his harsh whisper, then repeated it
with blazing intensity in mindspeech—"We do not kill!"
There was a pause.
"To gain the great you must give up the less. It is always the rule," the
Shing whispered.
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