--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A blade of grass is a commonplace on…" description: "\"A blade of grass is a commonplace on Earth; it would be a miracle on Mars. Our descendants on Mars will know the value of a patch of green. And if a bl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69e/carl-sagan-160_blades_a-blade-of-grass-is-a-commonplace-on-ear_3103211.jpg" --- # A blade of grass is a commonplace on Earth; it would be a… ![“A blade of grass is a commonplace on Earth; it would be a miracle on Mars. Our descendants on Mars will know the value of a patch of green. And if a blade of grass is priceless, what is the value of a human being?” quote by Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69e/carl-sagan-160_blades_a-blade-of-grass-is-a-commonplace-on-ear_3103211.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69e/carl-sagan-160_blades_a-blade-of-grass-is-a-commonplace-on-ear_3103211.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69e/carl-sagan-160_blades_a-blade-of-grass-is-a-commonplace-on-ear_3103211.jpg) > “A blade of grass is a commonplace on Earth; it would be a miracle on Mars. Our descendants on Mars will know the value of a patch of green. And if a blade of grass is priceless, what is the value of a human being?” [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A single blade of grass is abundant on Earth but would be extraordinary on Mars, highlighting how scarcity changes perceived value, and prompting reflection on human worth. **In simple terms:** Scarcity makes things valuable; consider human value. Key Takeaway Recognize the intrinsic worth of life. Themes environment value philosophy Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - space missions - environmental ethics - resource allocation Key Concepts scarcity human dignity planetary colonization Questions to Reflect On - What defines a human life’s value? - How does scarcity affect our ethics? A Different Perspective Value judgments can be culturally biased. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blade Grass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blade-grass-751681/) [Blades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blades/) [Blades of grass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blades-of-grass/) [Cosmology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cosmology/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Grass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grass/) [Grass Commonplace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grass-commonplace-5386878/) [Grass Priceless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grass-priceless-5386877/) [Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/green/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Mars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mars/) [Miracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miracle/) [Patches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patches/) [Priceless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/priceless/) [Space exploration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space-exploration/) [Value](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/value/) [Value Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/value-human/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [Insects were scurrying about in the shade cast by the grass, and the lawn was a huge monotonous forest of thousands of little green…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/insects-were-scurrying-about-in-the-shade-cast-by-the-grass-and-the/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [I can't even enjoy a blade of grass unless I know there's a subway handy, or a record store or some other sign that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-o-hara/i-can-t-even-enjoy-a-blade-of-grass-unless-i-know-there-s-a-subway/) [Frank O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-o-hara/) > [A need to concentrate on each sound, so that every blade of grass would be as important as a flower.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arvo-part/a-need-to-concentrate-on-each-sound-so-that-every-blade-of-grass/) [Arvo Part](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arvo-part/) > [Every blade of grass is a blade of grace, a grace note in God's single Song. Nature is not blind and dumb. Nature is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/every-blade-of-grass-is-a-blade-of-grace-a-grace-note-in-god-s-single/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [A blade of grass is always a blade of grass, whether in one country or another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/a-blade-of-grass-is-always-a-blade-of-grass-whether-in-one-country-or/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Every blade of grass is a study; and to produce two, where there was but one, is both a profit and a pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/every-blade-of-grass-is-a-study-and-to-produce-two-where-there-was/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I don't want to be just another blade of grass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/i-don-t-want-to-be-just-another-blade-of-grass/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [I want you here. I don't care if it's a hundred degrees and every blade of grass dies. Without you, none of that matters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kami-garcia/i-want-you-here-i-don-t-care-if-it-s-a-hundred-degrees-and-every/) [Kami Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kami-garcia/) > [HELPED are those who lose their fear of death; theirs is the power to envision the future in a blade of grass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/helped-are-those-who-lose-their-fear-of-death-theirs-is-the-power-to/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Be tough in the way a blade of grass is: rooted, willing to lean, and at peace with what is around it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/be-tough-in-the-way-a-blade-of-grass-is-rooted-willing-to-lean-and-at/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [Watching the way the current moves a blade of grass - sometimes I've seen that happen and it has just turned me inside out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/watching-the-way-the-current-moves-a-blade-of-grass-sometimes-i-ve/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [There is not one blade of grass, there is no color in this world that is not intended to make men rejoice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/there-is-not-one-blade-of-grass-there-is-no-color-in-this-world-that/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [Until man duplicates a blade of grass, nature can laugh at his so called scientific knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/until-man-duplicates-a-blade-of-grass-nature-can-laugh-at-his-so/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [“At the very moment that humans discovered the scale of the universe and found that their most unconstrained fancies were in fact dwarfed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/at-the-very-moment-that-humans-discovered-the-scale-of-the-universe/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“Even if the aliens are short, dour, and sexually obsessed—if they’re here, I want to know about them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/even-if-the-aliens-are-short-dour-and-sexually-obsessed-if-they-re/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) ## More by Carl Sagan > [It is sometimes said that scientists are unromantic, that their passion to figure out robs the world of beauty and mystery. But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [The prediction of nuclear winter is drawn not, of course, from any direct experience with the consequences of global nuclear war, but rather from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-prediction-of-nuclear-winter-is-drawn-not-of-course-from-any/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [The suppression of uncomfortable ideas may be common in religion or in politics, but it is not the path to knowledge; it has no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-suppression-of-uncomfortable-ideas-may-be-common-in-religion-or/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“Telepathy’ literally means to feel at a distance, just as ‘telephone’ is to hear at a distance and ‘television’ is to see at a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/telepathy-literally-means-to-feel-at-a-distance-just-as-telephone-is/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“On the scale of worlds—to say nothing of stars or galaxies—humans are inconsequential, a thin film of life on an obscure and solitary lump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/on-the-scale-of-worlds-to-say-nothing-of-stars-or-galaxies-humans-are/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Every one of us is, in the cosmic perspective, precious. If a human disagrees with you, let him live. In a hundred billion galaxies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/every-one-of-us-is-in-the-cosmic-perspective-precious-if-a-human/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [In our time, we have sifted the sands of Mars, we have established a presence there, we have fulfilled a century of dreams!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/in-our-time-we-have-sifted-the-sands-of-mars-we-have-established-a/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [ “\[ When a religious couple wrote to Sagan about fulfilled prophecies, he wrote back in May 1996 :\] If ‘fulfilled prophecy’ is your criterion,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/when-a-religious-couple-wrote-to-sagan-about-fulfilled-prophecies-he/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Don't judge everyone else by your own limited experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/don-t-judge-everyone-else-by-your-own-limited-experience/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [“Books permit us to voyage through time, to tap the wisdom of our ancestors. The library connects us with the insight and knowledge, painfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/books-permit-us-to-voyage-through-time-to-tap-the-wisdom-of-our/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [We live on a hunk of rock and metal that circles a humdrum star that is one of 400 billion other stars that make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/we-live-on-a-hunk-of-rock-and-metal-that-circles-a-humdrum-star-that/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [A tiny blue dot set in a sunbeam. Here it is. That's where we live. That's home. We humans are one species and this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/a-tiny-blue-dot-set-in-a-sunbeam-here-it-is-that-s-where-we-live-that/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Any sufficiently crisp question can be answered by a single binary digit-0 or 1, yes or no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/any-sufficiently-crisp-question-can-be-answered-by-a-single-binary/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Humans — who enslave, castrate, experiment on, and fillet other animals — have had an understandable penchant for pretending animals do not feel pain.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/humans-who-enslave-castrate-experiment-on-and-fillet-other-animals/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [Every star may be a sun to someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/every-star-may-be-a-sun-to-someone/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) [Explore all 1,043 Carl Sagan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) ## More Blades quotes > [A lie always needs a truth for a handle to it. The worst lies are those whose blade is false, but whose handle is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/a-lie-always-needs-a-truth-for-a-handle-to-it-the-worst-lies-are/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [The Kabbalah describes angels as bundles of light, meaning intelligence, consciousness. Kabbalists believe that above every blade of grass is an angel crying "Grow!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-kabbalah-describes-angels-as-bundles-of-light-meaning/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [Our past is the forge upon which we are hardened and tempered, to prepare us for the present. We are like a fine blade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-atchley-jr/our-past-is-the-forge-upon-which-we-are-hardened-and-tempered-to/) [Larry Atchley Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-atchley-jr/) > [When a buddha is painted, not only a clay altar or lump of earth is used, but the thirty-two marks, a blade of grass,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dogen/when-a-buddha-is-painted-not-only-a-clay-altar-or-lump-of-earth-is/) [Dogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dogen/) > [I felt freed to please myself, to find my way as I would, in a world that was much vaster than I had realized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margo-lanagan/i-felt-freed-to-please-myself-to-find-my-way-as-i-would-in-a-world/) [Margo Lanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margo-lanagan/) > [I would like to see a fierce Fantasia mixed with Blade Runner, Lord of the Rings, and Star Wars all in one. That's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rodriguez/i-would-like-to-see-a-fierce-fantasia-mixed-with-blade-runner-lord-of/) [Michelle Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rodriguez/) > [Paper or razor blade, never give up And just remember just to hold out more A couple years ago I couldn't just control that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-sheeran/paper-or-razor-blade-never-give-up-and-just-remember-just-to-hold-out/) [Ed Sheeran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-sheeran/) > [There are those who say that trees shade the garden too much, and interfere with the growth of the vegetables. There may be something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dudley-warner/there-are-those-who-say-that-trees-shade-the-garden-too-much-and/) [Charles Dudley Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dudley-warner/) > [Heavy role in the movies that I've done that I have loved and fit my soul; A Simple Plan, Monster's Ball, Sling Blade, One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/heavy-role-in-the-movies-that-i-ve-done-that-i-have-loved-and-fit-my/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [Staring at her face, she began to fancy her outer layer had begun to melt away while she wasn't paying attention, and something --…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/staring-at-her-face-she-began-to-fancy-her-outer-layer-had-begun-to/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [You need flawless balance on the recovery. You need white hot focus and the concentration to row square blades cleanly for seven miles. Smooth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-alan-lewis/you-need-flawless-balance-on-the-recovery-you-need-white-hot-focus/) [Brad Alan Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-alan-lewis/) > [If you look at 'Blade Runner,' it's been cut sixteen ways from Sunday, and there are all kinds of different versions of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/if-you-look-at-blade-runner-it-s-been-cut-sixteen-ways-from-sunday/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [Here's an example: someone says, "Master, please hand me the knife," and he hands them the knife, blade first. "Please give me the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/here-s-an-example-someone-says-master-please-hand-me-the-knife-and-he/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [It's ninety-six degrees in the shade... Before I catch blood on my blade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-murray/it-s-ninety-six-degrees-in-the-shade-before-i-catch-blood-on-my-blade/) [Keith Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-murray/) > ["Lay the knife at the tips of your fingers," Rob commanded. "So close youcan feel the blade against your skins. Then cut the shadow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/lay-the-knife-at-the-tips-of-your-fingers-rob-commanded-so-close/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) [Browse all 490 Blades quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blades/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A blade of grass is a commonplace on Earth; it would be a miracle on Mars. Our descendants on Mars will know the value of a patch of green. 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