Married couples who quarrel bitterly every day may really need each other as deeply as those who appear to be desperately in love.
Edward AbbeyRead
I love America because it is a confused, chaotic mess - and I hope we can keep it this way for at least another thousand years. The permissive society is the free society.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects a love for the complexity and chaos of America, suggesting that freedom thrives in a permissive society.
Edward Abbey expresses an affection for America rooted in its chaos and confusion, viewing these traits as integral to its identity. He argues that a permissive society, one that embraces ambiguity and complexity, is fundamental to maintaining freedom, and he expresses a desire for this state to continue for a long time, indicating a belief that such chaos fosters creativity and growth.
Themes
AmericaFreedomChaosSocietyLove
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about cultural identity, I would quote Abbey to emphasize the importance of accepting our differences.
More from Edward Abbey
All quotes →If it's knowledge and wisdom you want, then seek out the company of those who do real work for an honest purpose.
Edward AbbeyRead
The earth is real. Only a fool, milking his cow, denies the cow's reality.
Edward AbbeyRead
I believe in nothing that I cannot touch, kiss, embrace.... The rest is only hearsay.
Edward AbbeyRead
Why can't we simply borrow what is useful to us from Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, especially Zen, as we borrow from Christianity, science, American Indian traditions and world literature in general, including philosophy, and let the rest go hang? Borrow what we need but rely principally upon our own senses, common sense and daily living experience.
Edward AbbeyRead
Man's deliberate destruction of his own habitat -- planet Earth -- could serve as a mighty theme for a mighty book worthy of a modern Melville or Tolstoy. But our best fictioneers confine themselves to domestic drama -- soap opera with literary trimmings.
Edward AbbeyRead
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