If any thing can be predicated as universally true of uncultivated man, it is that he will not labour beyond what is absolutely necessary to maintain his existence.

I thought a forest was made up entirely of trees, but now I know that the foundation lies below ground, in the fungi.

We must learn how to think like the planet.

A culture that values production over life values the wrong things, because it will produce things at the expense of living beings, human or otherwise.

If your homeland were invaded by aliens who cut down the forests, poisoned the water and air and contaminated the food supply, would you resist?

For us to maintain our way of living, we must tell lies to each other and especially to ourselves. The lies are necessary because, without them, many deplorable acts would become impossibilities.

I am only so beautiful as the character of my relationships, only so rich as I enrich those around me, only so alive as I enliven those I greet.

We have been too kind to those who are killing the planet. We have been inexcusably, unforgivably, insanely kind.

No matter what we call it, poison is still poison, death is still death, and industrial civilization is still causing the greatest mass extinction in the history of the planet.

Within this culture wealth is measured by one's ability to consume and destroy.

Hope is a longing for a future condition over which you have no agency; it means you are essentially powerless.

Picking five favorite books is like picking the five body parts you'd most like not to lose.

Your body is temple of the holy spirit.

You know people. Most of them don’t hear anything. Those who hear - don’t listen. A few who listen - don’t understand. And those who could understand… they don’t care.

Perfect sandwich? Two slices of white bread, mustard, mayo and a platinum American Express card.

Your heart is like glass, if it breaks, it's pretty hard to put it back together again.

The devil has no power over us only as we permit him. The moment we revolt at anything which comes from God, the devil takes power.

Communists love to make films about composers, because composers compose music and don't talk subversive things.

My job is to play chess, the game that I love. I achieve what I can in chess. That is what I focus on. Basically, I am always focused on playing the game, and this is important to me.

I discover no kinship, no understanding, no mercy. I see only the overwhelming indifference of nature.

When you wear a mask, it changes your outward appearance, but also has an influence on you, inside.