The merest accident of microgeography had meant that the first man to hear the voice of Om, and who gave Om his view of humans, was a shepherd and not a goatherd. They have quite different ways of looking at the world, and the whole of history might have been different. For sheep are stupid, and have to be driven. But goats are intelligent, and need to be led.

Summary

This quote, from Terry Pratchett's "Small Gods," highlights the potential impact of small and seemingly insignificant details on outcomes. It suggests that if a goat herder had been the first to hear the voice of Om, the guiding principles and understanding of humanity may have been significantly different. By contrasting the behavior of sheep (needing to be driven) with goats (needing to be led), the quote cleverly emphasizes that different perspectives shape history's course. Overall, it emphasizes the importance of considering how minute circumstances can have significant consequences.

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