None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.
Henry David ThoreauRead
First, there is the power of the Wind, constantly exerted over the globe... Here is an almost incalculable power at our disposal, yet how trifling the use we make of it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Thoreau emphasizes the immense power of the wind and our minimal utilization of it.
In this quote, Thoreau reflects on the vast potential energy that the wind presents to humanity, suggesting that while we are surrounded by a force that could be harnessed for greater purposes, we remain largely indifferent or ineffective in utilizing it. This highlights not only our lack of innovation in tapping into natural resources but also serves as a metaphor for the untapped potential within ourselves and our communities.
Themes
WindPowerNaturePotentialThoreau
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about renewable energy, one might quote Thoreau to emphasize the importance of harnessing natural forces.
More from Henry David Thoreau
All quotes →Through want of enterprise and faith men are where they are, buying and selling and spending their lives like servants.
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Have no mean hours, but be grateful for every hour, and accept what it brings. The reality will make any sincere record respectable.
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As every season seems best to us in its turn, so the coming in of spring is like the creation of Cosmos out of Chaos and the realization of the Golden Age.
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That grand old poem called Winter
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