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Quote by Daniel Quinn

“If you alone found out what the lie was, then you're probably right—it would make no great difference. But if you ALL found out what the lie was, it might conceivably make a very great difference indeed.”

Quote by Daniel Quinn

Book:Ishmael: A Novel

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 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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“Hence, in all countries the chief occupation of society is card-playing, and it is the gauge of its value, and an outward sign that it is bankrupt in thought. Because people have no thoughts to deal in, they deal cards, and try and win one another’s money. Idiots!”

People Trying Country Values Winning Deals Cards Chiefs Idiot Occupation Gauges

Book:The Essays of Arthur Schopenhauer - The Wisdom of Life (illustrated)

Source: The Essays of Arthur Schopenhauer - The Wisdom of Life (illustrated)

“The mythology of your culture hums in your ears so constantly that no one pays the slightest bit of attention to it. Of course man is conquering space and the atom and the deserts and the oceans and the elements. According to your mythology, this is what he was BORN to do.”

Men Culture Courses Bits Born Space Pay Attention Elements Ocean Ears Mythology Conquer Desert Atoms

Book:Ishmael: A Novel

Source: Ishmael: A Novel

“[T]he price you've paid is not the price of becoming human. It's not even the price of having the things you just mentioned. It's the price of enacting a story that casts mankind as the enemy of the world.”

World Humans Stories Enemy Mankind Becoming Paid Casts

Book:Ishmael: A Novel

Source: Ishmael: A Novel

“Success is sweet and sweeter if long delayed and gotten through many struggles and defeats.”

Ifs Inspirational Long Success Struggle Sweet Failure Perseverance Defeat Congratulations Delayed

Author:Amos Bronson Alcott

“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.”

People World Doe Stories Lying Given Lord Feet One Day Conquer Odds Foe Accord Bleeding

Book:Ishmael: A Novel

Source: Ishmael: A Novel

“Dani said this woman, with whom she’d lived for two years, had never known her. “I feel like people accept the first thing I show them,” she said, “and that’s all I ever am to them.”

People Feels Years Firsts Said Two Shows Known Accepting Two Years

Book:Don't Cry: Stories

Source: Don't Cry: Stories

“This law … defines the limits of competition in the community of life. You may compete to the full extent of your capabilities, but you may not hunt down your competitors or destroy their food or deny them access to food. In other words, you may compete but you may not wage war.”

May War Law Community Limits Competition Deny Access Capability Competitors Hunts

Book:Ishmael: A Novel

Source: Ishmael: A Novel

“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.”

Would Be Values Sound Community Millions Thousand Degrees Diversity Survival Hundred Twenties Species Factors Ecology Catastrophe Temperature

Author:Daniel Quinn

“Katniss, there is no District Twelve.”

Twelve Katniss Gale Hawthorne

Book:The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Source: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

“[A]ny species that exempts itself from the rules of competition ends up destroying the community in order to support its own expansion.”

Ends Order Community Support Competition Species Destroying Expansion

Author:Daniel Quinn