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Quote by Daniel Quinn

“You're captives of a civilizational system that more or less compels you to go on destroying the world in order to live. … You are captives—and you have made a captive of the world itself. That's what's at stake, isn't it?—your captivity and the captivity of the world.”

Quote by Daniel Quinn

Work

Ishmael: A Novel

In this thought-provoking novel, Ishmael, a young man, embarks on a journey of self-discovery and enlightenment. Guided by a wise teacher named Phebe, he delves into the complexities of human existence, the state of the environment, and the interconnectedness of all life. The narrative is interspersed with philosophical musings and discussions on ethics, science, and the human condition. more

Author

Daniel Quinn
Daniel Quinn

Daniel Quinn is an American novelist known for his profound insights into human history and culture. His works often explore the relationship between humans and nature, as well as the development of human civilization. more

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“There's nothing fundamentally wrong with people. Given a story to enact that puts them in accord with the world, they will live in accord with the world. But given a story to enact that puts them at odds with the world, as yours does, they will live at odds with the world. Given a story to enact in which they are the lords of the world, they will ACT like lords of the world. And, given a story to enact in which the world is a foe to be conquered, they will conquer it like a foe, and one day, inevitably, their foe will lie bleeding to death at their feet, as the world is now.”

“Diversity is a survival factor for the community itself. A community of a hundred million species can survive anything short of total global catastrophe. Within that hundred million will be thousands that could survive a global temperature drop of twenty degrees—which would be a lot more devastating than it sounds. Within that hundred million will be thousands that could survive a global temperature rise of twenty degrees. But a community of a hundred species or a thousand species has almost no survival value at all.”