--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This culture destroys landbases. That's…" description: "\"“This culture destroys landbases. That's what it does. When you think of Iraq, is the first thing that comes to mind cedar forests so thick that sunlig..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a05/derrick-jensen-2824_anti-civ_this-culture-destroys-landbases-that-s-w_1696932.png" --- # This culture destroys landbases. That's what it does. When… ![“This culture destroys landbases. That's what it does. When you think of Iraq, is the first thing that comes to mind cedar forests so thick that sunlight never touched the ground? One of the first written myths of this culture is about Gilgamesh deforesting the hills and valleys of Iraq to build a…” quote by Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a05/derrick-jensen-2824_anti-civ_this-culture-destroys-landbases-that-s-w_1696932.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a05/derrick-jensen-2824_anti-civ_this-culture-destroys-landbases-that-s-w_1696932.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a05/derrick-jensen-2824_anti-civ_this-culture-destroys-landbases-that-s-w_1696932.png) > ““This culture destroys landbases. That's what it does. When you think of Iraq, is the first thing that comes to mind cedar forests so thick that sunlight never touched the ground? One of the first written myths of this culture is about Gilgamesh deforesting the hills and valleys of Iraq to build a great city. The Arabian Peninsula used to be oak savannah. The Near East was heavily forested (we've all heard of the cedars of Lebanon). Greece was heavily forested. North Africa was heavily forested. We'll say it again: this culture destroys landbases. And it won't stop doing so because we ask nicely.”” [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. The quote warns that a particular culture systematically destroys natural land, erasing forests and ecosystems across the Near East and beyond, and that this destruction will continue without intervention. **In simple terms:** A culture is wiping out forests and land, and it won’t stop unless we act. Key Takeaway Recognize and oppose destructive cultural practices. Themes environmental destruction culture deforestation historical ecology human impact Mood concerned urgent reflective Type cautionary activist environmental When to use this quote - policy advocacy - community education - reforestation projects - land rights activism Key Concepts anthropocene ecological collapse mythic narrative land stewardship Questions to Reflect On - What cultural values drive this environmental harm? - How can societies shift toward sustainable land use? A Different Perspective The claim may overgeneralize diverse societies and ignore positive environmental efforts within those cultures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anti-civ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anti-civ/) [Climate change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate-change/) [Deep-green-resistance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deep-green-resistance/) [Hills and valleys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hills-and-valleys/) [Myths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myths/) [Resistance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resistance/) ## Related quotes > [“So while this is a book about fighting back, in the end this is a book about love. 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As an example, the violence committed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lierre-keith/the-violence-of-hierarchy-is-the-violence-that-the-powerful-use/) [Lierre Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lierre-keith/) > [“There is a name for the tsunami wave of extermination: the Holocene extinction event. There's no asteroid this time, only human behavior, behavior that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lierre-keith/there-is-a-name-for-the-tsunami-wave-of-extermination-the-holocene/) [Lierre Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lierre-keith/) ## 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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If we're unwilling to defend what we love, then what are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-carter/if-we-can-t-love-our-one-and-only-home-what-can-we-love-if-we-re/) Michael Carter > [“The role of smart, radical activists is to encourage, protract, organize, and multiply the chipping away not only at the mythology of presumed supremacy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-carter/the-role-of-smart-radical-activists-is-to-encourage-protract-organize/) Michael Carter > [“Further, any way of life based on the importation of resources is also functionally based on violence, because if your way of life requires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aric-mcbay/further-any-way-of-life-based-on-the-importation-of-resources-is-also/) [Aric McBay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aric-mcbay/) > [“Our best hope will never lie in individual survivalism. 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