Shadow Puppets (Ender, Book 7) (Shadow Saga) by Orson Scott Card Page B

fail, well, how many millions of humans have already been born and died as loose threads with their lives snipped off? Given the historical rates of infant mortality, it might be as many as halt certainly at least a quarter of all humans born. Alt those meaningless lives. I'll be one of them. I'll just be one who did his best to save the world before he died."
    To Bean's surprise-and horror-Anton flung his arms around him in one of those terrifying Russian hugs from which the unsuspecting westerner thinks he may never emerge alive. "My boy, you are so noble!" Anton let go of him, taughing. "Listen to yourself! So full of the romance of youth! You will save the world!"
    "I didn't mock your dream," said Bean.
    "But I'm not mocking you!" cried Anton. "I celebrate you! Because you are, in a way, a small way, my son. Or at least my nephew. And look at you! Living a life entirely for others!"
    "I'm completely selfish!" cried Bean in protest.
    "Then sleep with this girl, you know she'll let you! Or marry her and then sleep with anybody else, father children or not, why should you care? Nothing that happens outside your body matters. Your children don't matter to you! You're completely sellfish!"
    Bean was left with nothing to say.
    "Self-delusion dies hard," said Petra softly, slipping her hand into his.