It's extraordinary how self-obsessed human beings are. The things that people always go on about is, 'tell us about us', 'tell us about the first human being'. We are so self-obsessed with our own history. There is so much more out there than what connects to us.
Interpretation
The quote highlights humanity's tendency to focus on itself rather than recognizing the larger world around us.
David Attenborough comments on the human inclination towards self-obsession, suggesting that people often prioritize their own history and existence over the vastness of the world and universe. This introspective observation serves as a reminder that there is an expansive reality beyond human-centric narratives, encouraging individuals to broaden their perspectives and appreciate the interconnectedness of all life.
In practice
In a speech about environmental awareness, one might say, 'As David Attenborough reminds us, there is so much more out there than what connects to us.'
I don't think we are going to become extinct. We're very clever and extremely resourceful - and we will find ways of preserving ourselves, of that I'm sure. But whether our lives will be as rich as they are now is another question.
I'm against this huge globalisation on the basis of economic advantage.
I would be absolutely astounded if population growth and industrialisation and all the stuff we are pumping into the atmosphere hadn't changed the climatic balance. Of course it has. There is no valid argument for denial.
There's a small worm called Loa Loa Filariasis. This parasite can survive in one environment exclusively- namely, underneath the skin and inside the eyes of human beings. Children and the elderly in tropical regions (usually the poorest) are the most widely affected. A painful, slow death is virtually certain. The worm can actually live in the host for 17 years before the host finally dies.
The fundamental issue is the moral issue.
It is vital that there is a narrator figure whom people believe. That's why I never do commercials. If I started saying that margarine was the same as motherhood, people would think I was a liar.
For many people, Timbuktu has long represented the essence of remoteness: a mythical, faraway place located on the boundaries of our collective consciousness. But like many of the myths associated with colonialism, the reality is very different.
Every morning you put on your clothes to cover your nakedness and protect your body from inclement weather. Why don't you also clothe your soul with the garment of faith? Remember each morning the truths of your creed, and look at yourself in the mirror of your faith. Otherwise, your soul will soon be naked with the nakedness of oblivion.
We must remember that nothing in this world really belongs to us. At best, we are merely borrowers.
Sometimes he could almost forget that it was there, the way you forget about the sky or the earth underfoot, but there were other times when it seemed as if there was nothing else in the world.
Alive without breath, As cold as death; Never thirsty, ever drinking, All in mail never clinking.
Scopes isn’t on trial; civilization is on trial.
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