Food supply Quote by Daniel Quinn
““We’ve discovered that any species that exempts itself from the rules of competition ends up destroying the community in order to support its own expansion.” “Any species? Including man?” “Yes, obviously. That’s in fact what’s happening here.” “So you see that this—at least this—is not some mysterious wickedness peculiar to the human race. It isn’t some imponderable flaw in man that has made the people of your culture the destroyers of the world.” “No. The same thing would happen with any species, at least with any species strong enough to bring it off. Provided that every increase in food supply is answered by an increase in population.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Ishmael, 1992
Species that escape competition rules tend to overexploit resources, harming the community.
In simple terms: Avoiding competition leads to environmental collapse.
Key Takeaway
Balance growth with ecological limits.
Themes
environment
competition
ethics
Mood
concerned
reflective
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- policy making
- environmental activism
- education
- community planning
Key Concepts
sustainability
population dynamics
resource management
Questions to Reflect On
- What policies can curb overconsumption?
- How can competition be structured sustainably?
A Different Perspective
Human societies can create systems that mitigate unchecked expansion.
![“[A]ny species that exempts itself from the rules of competition ends up destroying the community in order to support its own expansion.” quote by Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/016/daniel-quinn-1786_community_a-ny-species-that-exempts-itself-from-th_2937463.jpg)
![“The most irrevocable of [natures] laws says that a species cannot occupy a niche that appropriates all resources--there has to be some sharing. Any species that ignores this law winds up destroying its community to support its own expansion.” quote by Janine Benyus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/5e6/janine-benyus-15049_animal_the-most-irrevocable-of-natures-laws-say_1311279.jpg)
![“[N]ow we have a clearer idea what this story is all about: The world was made for man, and man was made to rule it.” quote by Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/798/daniel-quinn-1786_civilization_n-ow-we-have-a-clearer-idea-what-this-st_60790.jpg)
