Age Quote by Ambrose Bierce
“POTABLE, n. Suitable for drinking. Water is said to be potable; indeed, some declare it our natural beverage, although even they find it palatable only when suffering from the recurrent disorder known as thirst, for which it is a medicine. Upon nothing has so great and diligent ingenuity been brought to bear in all ages and in all countries, except the most uncivilized, as upon the invention of substitutes for water. To hold that this general aversion to that liquid has no basis in the preservative instinct of the race is to be unscientific-and without science we are as the snakes and toads.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: "The Unscientific Aversion to Water", 1900
He mocks humanity's irrational dislike of water despite its essential nature.
In simple terms: People irrationally dislike water.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and appreciate essential basics.
Themes
irrationality
necessity
science
Mood
skeptical
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
satirical
When to use this quote
- Health advice
- environmental policy
- education curricula
Key Concepts
Human behavior
perception
biology
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we develop aversions to vital resources?
- How can science change perceptions?
A Different Perspective
Convenient substitutes can mask the issue.
