Battle Quote by Edward Abbey
““it will be objected that a constantly increasing population makes resistance and conservation a hopeless battle. this is true. unless a way is found to stabilize the nation's population, the parks can not be saved. or anything else worth a damn. wilderness preservation, like a hundred other good causes, will be forgotten under the overwhelming pressure of a struggle for mere survival and sanity in a completely urbanized, completely industrialized, ever more crowded environment. for my own part i would rather take my chances in a thermonuclear war than live in such a world.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Monkey Wrench Gang”, 1975
Unchecked population growth threatens wilderness, leading the author to prefer nuclear war over a degraded, over‑industrialized world.
In simple terms: Population growth endangers nature, making survival bleak.
Key Takeaway
Advocate for sustainable population policies.
Themes
environment
population
urbanization
war
survival
Mood
despairing
urgent
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- city planning
- environmental activism
- policy making
Key Concepts
ecology
overconsumption
apocalyptic thinking
Questions to Reflect On
- What realistic steps can curb population impact?
- Can technology reconcile growth with conservation?
A Different Perspective
The extreme view may ignore possible technological or societal solutions.
