--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: From the beginning, this culture…" description: "\"From the beginning, this culture - civilization - has been a culture of occupation.\" — Derrick Jensen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c2/derrick-jensen-2824_civilization_from-the-beginning-this-culture-civiliza_2048854.png" --- # From the beginning, this culture - civilization - has been… ![“From the beginning, this culture - civilization - has been a culture of occupation.” quote by Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c2/derrick-jensen-2824_civilization_from-the-beginning-this-culture-civiliza_2048854.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c2/derrick-jensen-2824_civilization_from-the-beginning-this-culture-civiliza_2048854.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c2/derrick-jensen-2824_civilization_from-the-beginning-this-culture-civiliza_2048854.png) > “From the beginning, this culture - civilization - has been a culture of occupation.” [Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Civilization is fundamentally rooted in occupying and exploiting lands and peoples. **In simple terms:** Culture built on occupation. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge oppressive structures. Themes colonialism environment power occupation Mood critical provocative Type analytical activist When to use this quote - urban planning - resource extraction - education reform - activism Key Concepts political ecology social justice Questions to Reflect On - How does occupation shape modern life? - What alternatives exist to occupation? A Different Perspective May ignore cooperative aspects of societies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beginning Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginning-culture-3036347/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Civilization Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization-culture-1639608/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Culture Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture-civilization-722314/) [Culture Occupation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture-occupation-3850373/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Occupation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occupation/) ## Related quotes > [“A singular confusion exists about the notions of 'culture' and 'civilization'. Culture began with the 'prologue in heaven.' 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And I kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/we-created-a-thing-called-culture-and-civilization-and-now-we-re/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [Nihilism is a natural consequence of a culture (or civilization) ruled and regulated by categories that mask manipulation, mastery and domination of peoples and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/nihilism-is-a-natural-consequence-of-a-culture-or-civilization-ruled/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [We owe the origin and development of human society and, consequently, of culture and civilization, to the fact that work performed under the division…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/we-owe-the-origin-and-development-of-human-society-and-consequently/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) ## More by Derrick Jensen > [The global industrial economy is the engine for massive environmental degradation and massive human (and nonhuman) impoverishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-jensen/the-global-industrial-economy-is-the-engine-for-massive-environmental/) [Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/) > [“In sum, one of the primary things I learned was how to kill time. 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