If you don't have a moral question governing your society, then you don't have a society that is going to survive.
Oren LyonsRead
Man sometimes thinks he's been elevated to be the controller, the ruler, but he's not. He's only part of the whole. Man's job is not to exploit, but to oversee, to be a steward. Man has responsibility, not power.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Humans are caretakers of the earth rather than its rulers, tasked with responsibility rather than power.
Oren Lyons emphasizes that humanity's role is not that of a dominating force over nature, but as stewards who must care for and protect the whole ecosystem. This perspective invites us to recognize our interconnectedness with the world and to fulfill our responsibilities with an understanding that we are part of a larger system rather than its masters.
Themes
StewardshipResponsibilityNatureInterconnectednessPhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about environmental responsibility.
More from Oren Lyons
All quotes →Although we are in different boats you in your boat and we in our canoe we share the same river of life.
Oren LyonsRead
Even through you and I are in different boats, you in your boat and we our canoe, we share the same river of life. What befalls me befalls you. And downstream, downstream in this river of life, our children will pay for our selfishness, for our greed, and for our lack of vision.
Oren LyonsRead
We say that the faces of coming generations are looking up from the earth. So when you put your feet down, you put them down very carefully - because there are generations coming one after the other. If you think in these terms, then you'll walk a lot more carefully, be more respectful of this earth.
Oren LyonsRead
When we walk upon Mother Earth,_x000D_ we always plant our feet carefully_x000D_ because we know the faces of our future generations_x000D_ are looking up at us from beneath the ground._x000D_ we never forget them.
Oren LyonsRead
We have to do that. We have to be thankful. That's what we said. Two things were told to us: To be thankful, so those are our ceremonies, ceremonies of thanksgiving. We built nations around it, and you can do that, too. And the other thing they said was enjoy life. That's a rule, a law- enjoy life- you're supposed to.
Oren LyonsRead
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