The real problems of our planet are not economic or technical, they are philosophical. The philosophy of unbridled materialism is being challenged by events.
E. F. SchumacherRead
Our ordinary mind always tries to persuade us that we are nothing but acorns and that our greatest happiness will be to become bigger, fatter, shinier acorns; but that is of interest only to pigs. Our faith gives us knowledge of something better: that we can become oak trees.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote encourages us to aspire for greater growth and purpose beyond mere material accumulation.
E. F. Schumacher uses the metaphor of acorns and oak trees to illustrate the human tendency to limit our ambitions to superficial successes, equating these ambitions with mere physical growth. By suggesting that our true potential lies in becoming something far greater, like oak trees, he emphasizes the importance of transcending ordinary expectations and pursuing deeper, more meaningful purposes in life.
Themes
GrowthPotentialPurposeAspirationPhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a motivational speech to inspire individuals to reach for their true potential.
More from E. F. Schumacher
All quotes →The substance of man cannot be measured by Gross National Product.
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The printing press is either the greatest blessing or the greatest curse of modern times, sometimes one forgets which it is.
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By means of trees, wildlife could be conserved, pollution decreased, and the beauty of our landscapes enhanced. This is the way, or at least one of the ways, to spiritual, moral, and cultural regeneration.
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We still have to learn how to live peacefully, not only with our fellow men but also with nature and, above all, with those Higher Powers which have made nature and have made us; for, assuredly, we have not come about by accident and certainly have not made ourselves
E. F. SchumacherRead
The heart of the matter, as I see it, is the stark fact that world poverty is primarily a problem of two million villages, and thus a problem of two thousand million villagers.
E. F. SchumacherRead
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Man has been driven out of the paradise in which he could trust his instincts.
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