--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Naturally society cherished itself alone…" description: "\"“Naturally society cherished itself alone; it prized what everyone agreed was precious, despised what everyone agreed was despicable, and ignored what ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/annie-dillard-509_next-generation_naturally-society-cherished-itself-alone_2177756.jpg" --- # Naturally society cherished itself alone; it prized what… ![“Naturally society cherished itself alone; it prized what everyone agreed was precious, despised what everyone agreed was despicable, and ignored what no one mentioned-all to it's own enhancement, and with the loud view that these bubbles and vapors were eternal and universal. If June had stressed…” quote by Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/annie-dillard-509_next-generation_naturally-society-cherished-itself-alone_2177756.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/annie-dillard-509_next-generation_naturally-society-cherished-itself-alone_2177756.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/annie-dillard-509_next-generation_naturally-society-cherished-itself-alone_2177756.jpg) > ““Naturally society cherished itself alone; it prized what everyone agreed was precious, despised what everyone agreed was despicable, and ignored what no one mentioned-all to it's own enhancement, and with the loud view that these bubbles and vapors were eternal and universal. If June had stressed to Mabel that she was going to die, would she have learned to eat with a fork? Society's loyal members, having sacrificed their only lives to it's caprices, hastened to entrap the next generation into agreement, so their follies would not have been in vain and they could all go down together, blind and well turned out. The company, the club, and the party had offered him a position like bait, and he bit. He had embedded himself in the company like a man bricked into a wall, and whirled with the building's maps, files, and desks,senselessly, as the planet spun and death pooled on the cold basement floors. Who could blame him?- when people have always lived so. Now , however, he saw the city lifted away, and the bricks and files vaporized; he saw the preenings of men laid low, and the comforts of family scattered. He was free and loosed on the black beach.”” [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society imposes conformity, but an individual can break free, experiencing liberation when the structures that bind them dissolve. **In simple terms:** Breaking free from societal expectations brings freedom. Key Takeaway Question and resist limiting norms. Themes freedom society conformity existence Mood reflective melancholic Type philosophical contemplative When to use this quote - career change - activism - personal crisis - creative pursuits - spiritual awakening Key Concepts alienation rebellion self‑realization Questions to Reflect On - What does true freedom feel like? - How can we balance individuality with community? A Different Perspective The narrative may romanticize escape without addressing practical consequences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blame People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blame-people/) [Despised Agreed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despised-agreed-4690141/) [Next generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-generation/) [Sacrificed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrificed/) [Society Cherished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society-cherished-3132154/) [Society Loyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society-loyal-4690140/) ## Related quotes > [Artists disbelieve and dispute society's most cherished notions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-maisel/artists-disbelieve-and-dispute-society-s-most-cherished-notions/) [Eric Maisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-maisel/) > [The attainment of of a just society is the cherished hope of civilized men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/the-attainment-of-of-a-just-society-is-the-cherished-hope-of/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [It's easy to blame other people when things aren't going well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/it-s-easy-to-blame-other-people-when-things-aren-t-going-well/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I behaved worse than anybody for 15 years, and you have to pay the price for that. I used to blame other people, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rourke/i-behaved-worse-than-anybody-for-15-years-and-you-have-to-pay-the/) [Mickey Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rourke/) > [If people don't like the trailer, then blame it on the people who made the trailer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-gondry/if-people-don-t-like-the-trailer-then-blame-it-on-the-people-who-made/) [Michel Gondry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-gondry/) > [I'm sick and tired of government ministers in this Labour government who simply blame other people when things go wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-may/i-m-sick-and-tired-of-government-ministers-in-this-labour-government/) [Theresa May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-may/) > [Every time I am on air, I will receive actually quite a few messages that specifically tie me to the Chinese Communist Party -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leana-s-wen/every-time-i-am-on-air-i-will-receive-actually-quite-a-few-messages/) [Leana S. Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leana-s-wen/) > [“It was easy to blame people for the misery of life rather than blaming the sand. Yelling at the sand got you nowhere. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/it-was-easy-to-blame-people-for-the-misery-of-life-rather-than/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) > [If you continue to blame people, places and things for your life, nothing will change. This leads to failure and heartbreak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-barbarulo/if-you-continue-to-blame-people-places-and-things-for-your-life/) [Michael Barbarulo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-barbarulo/) > [Luckily, due to my own ego, probably, I'm always quicker to blame other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-rogen/luckily-due-to-my-own-ego-probably-i-m-always-quicker-to-blame-other/) [Seth Rogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-rogen/) > [“When we are facing an uncomfortable event in our life we lay the whole blame on the people involved in the event and forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vishwanath/when-we-are-facing-an-uncomfortable-event-in-our-life-we-lay-the/) [Vishwanath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vishwanath/) > [Don't blame people for disappointing you, Blame yourself for expecting too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-blame-people-for-disappointing-you-blame-yourself-for-expecting/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Trump's voters loathe Jeb Bush because their lives are falling apart, and they blame people like him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/trump-s-voters-loathe-jeb-bush-because-their-lives-are-falling-apart/) [J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/) > [Weak leaders of churches blame people and circumstances. Breakout church leaders accept responsibility and see God's possibilities in even difficult situations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-s-rainer/weak-leaders-of-churches-blame-people-and-circumstances-breakout/) [Thom S. Rainer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-s-rainer/) > [Can't blame people for walking away. People get tired and can only take so much. Don't be surprised when they leave and don't come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/can-t-blame-people-for-walking-away-people-get-tired-and-can-only/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Annie Dillard > [Like everyone in his right mind, I feared Santa Claus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/like-everyone-in-his-right-mind-i-feared-santa-claus/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [“This is a spendthrift economy; though nothing is lost, all is spent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/this-is-a-spendthrift-economy-though-nothing-is-lost-all-is-spent/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [The creatures I seek do not want to be seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/the-creatures-i-seek-do-not-want-to-be-seen/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [Nothing moves a woman so deeply as the boyhood of the man she loves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/nothing-moves-a-woman-so-deeply-as-the-boyhood-of-the-man-she-loves/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [We live in all we seek. The hidden shows up in too-plain sight. It lives captive on the face of the obvious - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/we-live-in-all-we-seek-the-hidden-shows-up-in-too-plain-sight-it/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [“...The mockingbird took a single step into the air and dropped. His wings were still folded against his sides as though he were singing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/the-mockingbird-took-a-single-step-into-the-air-and-dropped-his-wings/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [“Father had stretched out his long legs and was tilting back in his chair. Mother sat with her knees crossed, in blue slacks, smoking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/father-had-stretched-out-his-long-legs-and-was-tilting-back-in-his/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [I am a frayed and nibbled survivor in a fallen world, and I am getting along. I am aging and eaten and have done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/i-am-a-frayed-and-nibbled-survivor-in-a-fallen-world-and-i-am-getting/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [It should surprise no one that the life of the writer - such as it is - is colorless to the point of sensory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/it-should-surprise-no-one-that-the-life-of-the-writer-such-as-it-is/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [It is madness to wear ladies' straw hats and velvet hats to church; we should all be wearing crash helmets. Ushers should issue life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/it-is-madness-to-wear-ladies-straw-hats-and-velvet-hats-to-church-we/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [The sense impressions of one-celled animals are not edited for the brain. This is philosophically interesting in a rather mournful way, since it means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/the-sense-impressions-of-one-celled-animals-are-not-edited-for-the/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [“What can we make of the inexpressible joy of children? It is a kind of gratitude, I think—the gratitude of the ten-year-old who wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/what-can-we-make-of-the-inexpressible-joy-of-children-it-is-a-kind-of/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [“If we were to judge nature by its common sense or likelihood, we wouldn't believe the world existed. In nature, improbabilities are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/if-we-were-to-judge-nature-by-its-common-sense-or-likelihood-we/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [For writing a first draft requires from the writer a peculiar internal state which ordinary life does not induce. ... how to set yourself spinning?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/for-writing-a-first-draft-requires-from-the-writer-a-peculiar/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [I am a fugitive and a vagabond, a sojourner seeking signs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/i-am-a-fugitive-and-a-vagabond-a-sojourner-seeking-signs/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) [Explore all 509 Annie Dillard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) ## More Next generation quotes > [I think leading by example is important, as I know the next generation is watching us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-skolnik/i-think-leading-by-example-is-important-as-i-know-the-next-generation/) [Michael Skolnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-skolnik/) > [“Did you think of anyone else?” Enid had asked the folk of this household. “Did you think of the next generation that’ll have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-vaughn/did-you-think-of-anyone-else-enid-had-asked-the-folk-of-this/) [Carrie Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-vaughn/) > [The Next Generation Space Telescope, which will be located much further away from the Earth than the Hubble Space Telescope presently is, will also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-nicollier/the-next-generation-space-telescope-which-will-be-located-much/) [Claude Nicollier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-nicollier/) > [“The human race, to which so many of my readers belong, has been playing at children's games from the beginning, and will probably do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/the-human-race-to-which-so-many-of-my-readers-belong-has-been-playing/) [G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/) > [We want American families to feel more confident in life. We want the next generation to know that yes, the best days of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/we-want-american-families-to-feel-more-confident-in-life-we-want-the/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [And I add my own love to the history of people who have loved beautiful things, and looked out for them, and pulled them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-tartt/and-i-add-my-own-love-to-the-history-of-people-who-have-loved/) [Donna Tartt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-tartt/) > [I felt cheated by the way grown-ups told me that the future of the world was bleak when I became a teenager in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-ridley/i-felt-cheated-by-the-way-grown-ups-told-me-that-the-future-of-the/) [Matt Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-ridley/) > [The next generation will remake the world in a way that allows us to live in a more sustainable way, both personally and globally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/the-next-generation-will-remake-the-world-in-a-way-that-allows-us-to/) [Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/) > [The most important thing to me is to inspire all these athletes in the next generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobin-heath/the-most-important-thing-to-me-is-to-inspire-all-these-athletes-in/) [Tobin Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobin-heath/) > [I have enjoyed some of 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' but I saw the first 14 or 15 of them and all they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/i-have-enjoyed-some-of-star-trek-the-next-generation-but-i-saw-the/) [James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) > [“I cried with pride as I looked into the face of a midwife from the next generation of baby catchers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-vincent/i-cried-with-pride-as-i-looked-into-the-face-of-a-midwife-from-the/) [Peggy Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-vincent/) > [“A woman by nature is supposed to be picky, because a woman decides the quality of our next generation by virtue of whom she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dixon/a-woman-by-nature-is-supposed-to-be-picky-because-a-woman-decides-the/) [Patricia Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dixon/) > [My prayer for ORU is this, that this university may become the fertile womb for the next generation of Holy Spirit evangelists, to build…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhard-bonnke/my-prayer-for-oru-is-this-that-this-university-may-become-the-fertile/) [Reinhard Bonnke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhard-bonnke/) > [Have interracial relationships so that way when the next generation comes there will be no racism...make mixed babies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/have-interracial-relationships-so-that-way-when-the-next-generation/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Entrepreneurship is the cornerstone to African development and the key to local value creation in Africa. I am determined to ensure that Africa's next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-elumelu/entrepreneurship-is-the-cornerstone-to-african-development-and-the/) [Tony Elumelu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-elumelu/) [Browse all 856 Next generation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-generation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Naturally society cherished itself alone; it prized what everyone agreed was precious, despised what everyone agreed was despicable, and ignored what no one mentioned-all to it's own enhancement, and with the loud view that these bubbles and vapors were eternal and universal. If June had stressed to Mabel that she was going to die, would she have learned to eat with a fork? Society's loyal members, having sacrificed their only lives to it's caprices, hastened to entrap the next generation into agreement, so their follies would not have been in vain and they could all go down together, blind and well turned out. The company, the club, and the party had offered him a position like bait, and he bit. He had embedded himself in the company like a man bricked into a wall, and whirled with the building's maps, files, and desks,senselessly, as the planet spun and death pooled on the cold basement floors. Who could blame him?- when people have always lived so. Now , however, he saw the city lifted away, and the bricks and files vaporized; he saw the preenings of men laid low, and the comforts of family scattered. 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