We're in a giant car heading towards a brick wall and everyone's arguing over where they're going to sit.
David SuzukiRead
I always felt that if someone shot me, it would be great for the environmental movement, because they would make me a martyr. Our biggest fear was our children, because there was a tremendous amount of threat and intimidation, and my wife was terrified that the children might be grabbed or assaulted in some way. That was the real fear.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the fear and risks taken for the sake of a greater cause, emphasizing the personal sacrifices involved.
David Suzuki's quote illustrates the profound fears associated with activism, particularly in the environmental movement. He conveys a deep concern for the safety of his family amidst the threats faced while advocating for a cause that he believes could ultimately lead to positive change. The notion of martyrdom underscores the intensity of these convictions, highlighting how the struggle for environmental justice often comes with personal sacrifices and dangers, especially when children's safety is involved.
Themes
ActivismEnvironmentFearSacrificeMartyrdom
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech about environmental activism, this quote can highlight the personal risks activists face.
More from David Suzuki
All quotes →As parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts we need to start getting out into nature with the young people in our lives. Families play a key role in getting kids outside.
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One of the joys of being a grandparent is getting to see the world again through the eyes of a child.
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The medical literature tells us that the most effective ways to reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and many more problems are through healthy diet and exercise. Our bodies have evolved to move, yet we now use the energy in oil instead of muscles to do our work.
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Do you know how much land is under ice, rock and snow? Do you know why 90 percent of us live within 100 kilometres of the U.S. border? We have this idea we're a vast country. But the reality is that a lot of it, a huge amount, is uninhabitable.
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We no longer see the world as a single entity. We've moved to cities and we think the economy is what gives us our life, that if the economy is strong we can afford garbage collection and sewage disposal and fresh food and water and electricity. We go through life thinking that money is the key to having whatever we want, without regard to what it does to the rest of the world.
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