"As for AIDS, it's a plague. We are human, we get plagues. They come along every so often, kill off two thirds of the population; in the next generation it's a quarter; after that it's a childhood disease"

This quote by Larry Niven is a stark pointer of the devastating effects of AIDS. He compares it to a pester, which is a disease that spreads rapidly and eliminates many individuals. He recommends that it is a natural part of the human experience, and that it will eventually end up being a youth disease. This implies that, while AIDS is a major and lethal illness, it is something that humanity will eventually learn to deal with and handle. It is a tip that, while we might not have the ability to prevent plagues, we can find out to deal with them and eventually proceed.