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
Civilization, like an airplane in flight, survives only as it keeps going forward.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Civilization must continually progress to survive, similar to an airplane that must move forward to remain in the air.
Edward Abbey's quote highlights the idea that civilization is not static; it is an evolving entity that requires constant advancement and adaptation. Just as an airplane must keep moving forward to avoid falling, society must strive for progress in order to thrive and avoid stagnation or decline.
Themes
CivilizationProgressChangeSurvivalForward
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared during a conference on societal development to emphasize the need for continual progress.
More from Edward Abbey
All quotes βI 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.
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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.
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I believe in nothing that I cannot touch, kiss, embrace.... The rest is only hearsay.
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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
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