--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Whenever a Taker couple talk about how…" description: "\"“Whenever a Taker couple talk about how wonderful it would be to have a big family, they're reenacting this scene behind the Tree of the Knowledge of G..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/248/daniel-quinn-1786_big-family_whenever-a-taker-couple-talk-about-how-w_1923731.png" --- # Whenever a Taker couple talk about how wonderful it would… ![“Whenever a Taker couple talk about how wonderful it would be to have a big family, they're reenacting this scene behind the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. They're saying to themselves, 'Of course it's our right to apportion life on this planet as we please. Why stop of four kids or six?…” quote by Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/248/daniel-quinn-1786_big-family_whenever-a-taker-couple-talk-about-how-w_1923731.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/248/daniel-quinn-1786_big-family_whenever-a-taker-couple-talk-about-how-w_1923731.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/248/daniel-quinn-1786_big-family_whenever-a-taker-couple-talk-about-how-w_1923731.png) > ““Whenever a Taker couple talk about how wonderful it would be to have a big family, they're reenacting this scene behind the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. They're saying to themselves, 'Of course it's our right to apportion life on this planet as we please. Why stop of four kids or six? We can have fifteen if we like. All we have to do is plow under another few hundres acres of rain forest -- and who cares if a dozen other species disappear as a result?”” [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques the entitlement mindset that justifies expanding human families and exploiting nature without regard for ecological consequences. **In simple terms:** It warns against selfishly expanding families at the planet's expense. Key Takeaway Consider limits on growth for planetary health. Themes environmental ethics population human rights responsibility Mood concerned reflective Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - family planning - urban development - conservation policy - education curricula - resource management Key Concepts anthropocentrism ecocentrism sustainability Questions to Reflect On - What responsibilities do we have to other species? - How can societies balance personal freedom with ecological limits? A Different Perspective Assumes all families desire large size, ignoring cultural and economic diversity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apportion Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apportion-life-2969370/) [Big family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-family/) [Evil Saying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-saying-2969371/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Good and evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-and-evil/) [Taker Couple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taker-couple-2969369/) ## Related quotes > ['Greater love has no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends' (Jn. 15:13). In truth if someone hears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poemen/greater-love-has-no-man-than-this-that-a-man-lay-down-his-life-for/) [Poemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poemen/) > [I don't ever let anybody put that evil on me as saying something as audacious as kickers aren't football players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-tucker/i-don-t-ever-let-anybody-put-that-evil-on-me-as-saying-something-as/) [Justin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-tucker/) > [To then say that our own actions in combating evil have led to evil, is nothing more than saying, "Islamic terrorists are somewhat justified,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/to-then-say-that-our-own-actions-in-combating-evil-have-led-to-evil/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Motor racing is like one big family, ultimately, and when you come back to it, that's really what it feels like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/motor-racing-is-like-one-big-family-ultimately-and-when-you-come-back/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [I am a family person; we are a big family, and I need my friends around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-podolski/i-am-a-family-person-we-are-a-big-family-and-i-need-my-friends-around/) [Lukas Podolski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-podolski/) > [We may be separated into two groups, but really, we are one big family. We trained together, ate together and shared so many memories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oh-se-hun/we-may-be-separated-into-two-groups-but-really-we-are-one-big-family/) [Oh Se Hun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oh-se-hun/) > [We're a big family here at Fox.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-doocy/we-re-a-big-family-here-at-fox/) [Steve Doocy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-doocy/) > [I'm the youngest of six kids, and when a you're living in such a big family, you never really become an adult, and I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kasher/i-m-the-youngest-of-six-kids-and-when-a-you-re-living-in-such-a-big/) [Tim Kasher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kasher/) > [“Well open up your mind and see like me Open up your plans and damn you're free Look into your heart and you'll find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/well-open-up-your-mind-and-see-like-me-open-up-your-plans-and-damn/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [What's so beautiful about Miami is that we support each other. We're just one big family, not just the entertainers, just everyone in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-khaled/what-s-so-beautiful-about-miami-is-that-we-support-each-other-we-re/) [DJ Khaled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-khaled/) > [I have an extremely tight, extremely big family, and I love them so much it's almost painful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerli/i-have-an-extremely-tight-extremely-big-family-and-i-love-them-so/) [Kerli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerli/) > [I think Man United is a big club, a big family, a big fan base, and I think they all stick together and are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-wan-bissaka/i-think-man-united-is-a-big-club-a-big-family-a-big-fan-base-and-i/) [Aaron Wan-Bissaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-wan-bissaka/) > [I have a big family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-ortega/i-have-a-big-family/) [Jenna Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-ortega/) > [I look to my family for my support. I'm fortunate to have a big family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-o-donnell/i-look-to-my-family-for-my-support-i-m-fortunate-to-have-a-big-family/) [Chris O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-o-donnell/) > [There are a lot of blessings from being a big family, but there's also a lot more work. My kids understand that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/there-are-a-lot-of-blessings-from-being-a-big-family-but-there-s-also/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) ## More by Daniel Quinn > [“Because we imagine that we are what humanity was divinely destined to become, we assume that our prehistoric ancestors were trying to be us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/because-we-imagine-that-we-are-what-humanity-was-divinely-destined-to/) [daniel quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [The deer aren't our prey or our possessions -- they're us. They're us at one point in the cycle of life and we're them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/the-deer-aren-t-our-prey-or-our-possessions-they-re-us-they-re-us-at/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [ “\[N\]ow we have a clearer idea what this story is all about: The world was made for man, and man was made to rule… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/n-ow-we-have-a-clearer-idea-what-this-story-is-all-about-the-world/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [The premise of the Taker story is 'the world belongs to man'. … The premise of the Leaver story is 'man belongs to the world'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/the-premise-of-the-taker-story-is-the-world-belongs-to-man-the/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [“Pharaohs It took Khufu twenty-three years to build his Great Pyramid at Giza, where some eleven hundred stone blocks, each weighing about two and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/pharaohs-it-took-khufu-twenty-three-years-to-build-his-great-pyramid/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [Man's destiny was to conquer and rule the world, and this is what he's done.. almost. He hasn't quite made it, and it looks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/man-s-destiny-was-to-conquer-and-rule-the-world-and-this-is-what-he-s/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [“Many peoples practiced agriculture, but they were never obsessed by the delusion that what they were doing was \*right\*, that everyone in the entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/many-peoples-practiced-agriculture-but-they-were-never-obsessed-by/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [“No undesirable behavior has ever been eliminated by passing a law against it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/no-undesirable-behavior-has-ever-been-eliminated-by-passing-a-law/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [“How easy it is first to leap to a false conclusion about someone and then to view everything he does in light of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/how-easy-it-is-first-to-leap-to-a-false-conclusion-about-someone-and/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [Far and away the most futile admonition Christ ever offered was when he said, 'Have no care for tomorrow. Don't worry about whether you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/far-and-away-the-most-futile-admonition-christ-ever-offered-was-when/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [During your lifetime, the people of our culture are going to figure out how to live sustainably on this planet--or they're not. Either way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/during-your-lifetime-the-people-of-our-culture-are-going-to-figure/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [“Everyone in your culture knows this. Man was born to turn the world into a paradise, but tragically he was born flawed. And so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/everyone-in-your-culture-knows-this-man-was-born-to-turn-the-world/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [Most beginning writers - and I was the same - are like chefs trying to cook great dishes that they've never tasted themselves. How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/most-beginning-writers-and-i-was-the-same-are-like-chefs-trying-to/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [“Westereners often think that the East is one vast Buddhist temple, which is rather like thinking the West is one vast Carthusian monastery. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/westereners-often-think-that-the-east-is-one-vast-buddhist-temple/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [“Man's destiny was to conquer and rule the world, and this is what he's done--almost. He hasn't quite made it, and it looks as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/man-s-destiny-was-to-conquer-and-rule-the-world-and-this-is-what-he-s-2/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) [Explore all 208 Daniel Quinn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) ## More Big family quotes > [Motor racing is like one big family, ultimately, and when you come back to it, that's really what it feels like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/motor-racing-is-like-one-big-family-ultimately-and-when-you-come-back/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [We may be separated into two groups, but really, we are one big family. We trained together, ate together and shared so many memories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oh-se-hun/we-may-be-separated-into-two-groups-but-really-we-are-one-big-family/) [Oh Se Hun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oh-se-hun/) > [We're a big family here at Fox.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-doocy/we-re-a-big-family-here-at-fox/) [Steve Doocy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-doocy/) > [I think Man United is a big club, a big family, a big fan base, and I think they all stick together and are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-wan-bissaka/i-think-man-united-is-a-big-club-a-big-family-a-big-fan-base-and-i/) [Aaron Wan-Bissaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-wan-bissaka/) > [I am a family person; we are a big family, and I need my friends around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lukas-podolski/i-am-a-family-person-we-are-a-big-family-and-i-need-my-friends-around/) [Lukas Podolski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lukas-podolski/) > [I look to my family for my support. I'm fortunate to have a big family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-o-donnell/i-look-to-my-family-for-my-support-i-m-fortunate-to-have-a-big-family/) [Chris O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-o-donnell/) > [I have a big family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-ortega/i-have-a-big-family/) [Jenna Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-ortega/) > [There are a lot of blessings from being a big family, but there's also a lot more work. My kids understand that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/there-are-a-lot-of-blessings-from-being-a-big-family-but-there-s-also/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [I have an extremely tight, extremely big family, and I love them so much it's almost painful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerli/i-have-an-extremely-tight-extremely-big-family-and-i-love-them-so/) [Kerli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerli/) > [What's so beautiful about Miami is that we support each other. We're just one big family, not just the entertainers, just everyone in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-khaled/what-s-so-beautiful-about-miami-is-that-we-support-each-other-we-re/) [DJ Khaled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-khaled/) > [“Well open up your mind and see like me Open up your plans and damn you're free Look into your heart and you'll find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/well-open-up-your-mind-and-see-like-me-open-up-your-plans-and-damn/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [I'm the youngest of six kids, and when a you're living in such a big family, you never really become an adult, and I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kasher/i-m-the-youngest-of-six-kids-and-when-a-you-re-living-in-such-a-big/) [Tim Kasher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kasher/) > [Now you are seeing electronic dance music producers on TV, on talk shows. It's so great to see the festivals growing bigger and bigger,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-garrix/now-you-are-seeing-electronic-dance-music-producers-on-tv-on-talk/) [Martin Garrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-garrix/) > [I came from a big family, with not enough attention. It's classic. I wasn't the baby, but was second to last. It's absolutely the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-f-tompkins/i-came-from-a-big-family-with-not-enough-attention-it-s-classic-i/) [Paul F. Tompkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-f-tompkins/) > [I want to work with the big orchestras. I want to have a big family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustavo-dudamel/i-want-to-work-with-the-big-orchestras-i-want-to-have-a-big-family/) [Gustavo Dudamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustavo-dudamel/) [Browse all 231 Big family quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-family/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Whenever a Taker couple talk about how wonderful it would be to have a big family, they're reenacting this scene behind the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. They're saying to themselves, 'Of course it's our right to apportion life on this planet as we please. Why stop of four kids or six? We can have fifteen if we like. 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