Ingratitude Quote by David James Duncan
““the thing i found offensive, the thing i hated about mohican-mountain-makers, gill-netters, poachers, whalehunters, strip-miners, herbicide-spewers, dam-erectors, nuclear-reactor-builders or anyone who lusted after flesh, meat, mineral, tree, pelt and dollar - including, first and foremost, myself - was the smug ingratitude, the attitude that assumed the world and its creatures owed us everything we could catch, shoot, tear out, alter, plunder, devour...and we owed the world nothing in return.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The River Why by David James Duncan, 1983
It condemns the entitlement mindset that treats nature as a resource to be exploited without gratitude or responsibility.
In simple terms: Human greed assumes nature owes us everything.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and respect nature's limits.
Themes
environmentalism
ethics
greed
humility
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
ethical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- conservation work
- policy making
- personal consumption
- education
- activism
Key Concepts
anthropocentrism
exploitation
gratitude
Questions to Reflect On
- How does your daily consumption reflect entitlement?
- What responsibilities arise from using natural resources?
A Different Perspective
The view may overlook necessary human needs and economic realities.
