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The earth is real. Only a fool, milking his cow, denies the cow's reality.
Edward Abbey
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Reality must be acknowledged; denying it is foolish.

This quote suggests that accepting the reality of our world and circumstances is crucial for rational thinking. Just as someone milking a cow cannot deny the cow's existence, we must recognize and confront the truths around us to engage with life meaningfully.

Themes

RealityTruthAcknowledgmentFoolishnessExistence

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion about environmental issues, one might quote this to emphasize the importance of recognizing climate change.

More from Edward Abbey

Married couples who quarrel bitterly every day may really need each other as deeply as those who appear to be desperately in love.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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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