--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On the whole it is certainly not…" description: "\"“On the whole it is certainly not necessary. Nothing can better defend us than nature itself, which has let certain flowers and leaves grow in a partic..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/jacob-grimm-12275_acceptance_on-the-whole-it-is-certainly-not-necessa_1936273.jpg" --- # On the whole it is certainly not necessary. Nothing can… ![“On the whole it is certainly not necessary. Nothing can better defend us than nature itself, which has let certain flowers and leaves grow in a particular color and shape. People who do not find them beneficial, suitable for their special needs, which cannot be known, can easily walk right by…” quote by Jacob Grimm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/jacob-grimm-12275_acceptance_on-the-whole-it-is-certainly-not-necessa_1936273.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/jacob-grimm-12275_acceptance_on-the-whole-it-is-certainly-not-necessa_1936273.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/jacob-grimm-12275_acceptance_on-the-whole-it-is-certainly-not-necessa_1936273.jpg) > ““On the whole it is certainly not necessary. Nothing can better defend us than nature itself, which has let certain flowers and leaves grow in a particular color and shape. People who do not find them beneficial, suitable for their special needs, which cannot be known, can easily walk right by them. But they cannot demand that the flowers and leaves be colored and cut in another way.”” [Jacob Grimm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-grimm/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Nature provides diverse solutions; imposing uniform standards ignores unknown benefits. **In simple terms:** Nature’s variety serves unknown needs. Key Takeaway Respect natural diversity and avoid forced uniformity. Themes nature diversity adaptation human perception ecology Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical environmental When to use this quote - product design - urban planning - agricultural practices Key Concepts evolutionary biology philosophy of science environmental ethics Questions to Reflect On - What benefits might we miss by standardizing? - How can we balance consistency with natural variation? A Different Perspective Uniform standards may overlook hidden advantages. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acceptance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) [Certain Flowers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain-flowers-3059612/) [Certainly Necessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainly-necessary-3059611/) [Defend Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defend-nature-3059610/) [Demand Flowers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demand-flowers-3059613/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Hypocrisy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hypocrisy/) [It is what it is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/it-is-what-it-is/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Necessary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessary/) [Realism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realism/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Self discovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-discovery/) ## Related quotes > [Darwinism is not a sufficient condition for a phenomenon like Nazism but I think it's certainly a necessary one,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berlinski/darwinism-is-not-a-sufficient-condition-for-a-phenomenon-like-nazism/) [David Berlinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berlinski/) > [Animals, even plants, lie to each other all the time, and we could restrict the research to them, putting off the real truth about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/animals-even-plants-lie-to-each-other-all-the-time-and-we-could/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [“Down close to certain flowers all excesses are sufficiencies”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-giannini/down-close-to-certain-flowers-all-excesses-are-sufficiencies/) [David Giannini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-giannini/) > [Creativity requires introspection, self-examination, and a willingness to take risks. Because of this, artists are perhaps more susceptible to self-doubt and despair than those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-maisel/creativity-requires-introspection-self-examination-and-a-willingness/) [Eric Maisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-maisel/) > [We will never know are full potential unless we push ourselves' to find it its this self discovery that inevitably takes us to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-rice/we-will-never-know-are-full-potential-unless-we-push-ourselves-to/) [Travis Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-rice/) > [“A journey through nature is always a road to leads to self-discovery.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-sorenson/a-journey-through-nature-is-always-a-road-to-leads-to-self-discovery/) [Toni Sorenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-sorenson/) > [“The biggest mistake people make when trying to be authentic is just that: they try. They see these role models of what an "authentic"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vironika-tugaleva/the-biggest-mistake-people-make-when-trying-to-be-authentic-is-just/) [Vironika Tugaleva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vironika-tugaleva/) > [Helped are those who are content to be themselves; they will never lack mystery in their lives and the joys of self-discovery will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/helped-are-those-who-are-content-to-be-themselves-they-will-never/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [What you discover on your own is always more exciting than what someone else discovers for you - it's like the marriage between romantic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-rafferty/what-you-discover-on-your-own-is-always-more-exciting-than-what/) [Terrence Rafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-rafferty/) > [“I’ve never been with a boy who hasn’t seen me naked. It’s always the squeaky futon, bear-it-all, turn-off-the-lights quickstep. Don’t chalk it up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-rhodes/i-ve-never-been-with-a-boy-who-hasn-t-seen-me-naked-it-s-always-the/) [Taylor Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-rhodes/) > [You've got to make a person aware of how miserable they really are and show them how happy they can be. Otherwise, why should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-ve-got-to-make-a-person-aware-of-how-miserable-they-really-are/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“Your journey through life and self-discovery is much like the start of a new day. As you grow, develop, and reinvent yourself, the tendrils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-narofsky/your-journey-through-life-and-self-discovery-is-much-like-the-start/) [Thomas Narofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-narofsky/) > [“Instead of labelling your emotions as problems to solve, you can see them as signals to interpret. Instead of judging your desires as shameful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vironika-tugaleva/instead-of-labelling-your-emotions-as-problems-to-solve-you-can-see/) [Vironika Tugaleva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vironika-tugaleva/) > [“What if each time you experienced an emotion, you acknowledged it, accepted it, and became curious about its message for you (instead of trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vironika-tugaleva/what-if-each-time-you-experienced-an-emotion-you-acknowledged-it/) [Vironika Tugaleva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vironika-tugaleva/) > [“Good morning,” one of the soldiers said. “I’m Captain Joseph Walker and this is Sergeant James Vanetten. We are members of the One-Hundred-and-First Airborne…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shafter-bailey/good-morning-one-of-the-soldiers-said-i-m-captain-joseph-walker-and/) [Shafter Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shafter-bailey/) ## More by Jacob Grimm > [“ "Turn and peep, turn and peep,  There's blood within the shoe  The shoe it is too small for her,  The true bride waits for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-grimm/turn-and-peep-turn-and-peep-there-s-blood-within-the-shoe-the-shoe-it/) [Jacob Grimm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-grimm/) > [“He who helped thee when thou wert in trouble ought not afterwards to be despised by thee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-grimm/he-who-helped-thee-when-thou-wert-in-trouble-ought-not-afterwards-to/) [Jacob Grimm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-grimm/) > [“What is to become of us? How are we to feed our poor children, when we no longer have anything even for ourselves?” “I’ll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-grimm/what-is-to-become-of-us-how-are-we-to-feed-our-poor-children-when-we/) [Jacob Grimm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-grimm/) > [“Then she was terribly angry, and took him up and threw him with all her might against the wall. "Now, thou wilt be quiet,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-grimm/then-she-was-terribly-angry-and-took-him-up-and-threw-him-with-all/) [Jacob Grimm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-grimm/) > [“would not feel me between your teeth. Come, take these two wicked girls, they are tender morsels for you, fat as young quails; for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-grimm/would-not-feel-me-between-your-teeth-come-take-these-two-wicked-girls/) [Jacob Grimm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-grimm/) > [“Only preserve the love of God in thy heart, and all will go well with thee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-grimm/only-preserve-the-love-of-god-in-thy-heart-and-all-will-go-well-with/) [Jacob Grimm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-grimm/) > [“cudgel! That's worth thy trouble,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-grimm/cudgel-that-s-worth-thy-trouble/) [Jacob Grimm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-grimm/) > [“A certain king had a beautiful garden, and in the garden stood a tree which bore golden apples.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-grimm/a-certain-king-had-a-beautiful-garden-and-in-the-garden-stood-a-tree/) [Jacob Grimm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-grimm/) > [“A merchant, who had three daughters, was once setting out upon a journey; but before he went he asked each daughter what gift he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-grimm/a-merchant-who-had-three-daughters-was-once-setting-out-upon-a/) [Jacob Grimm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-grimm/) > [“stood still and stared at them. 'Why do you stand gaping there?' cried the dwarf, and his ashen-grey face became copper-red with rage. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-grimm/stood-still-and-stared-at-them-why-do-you-stand-gaping-there-cried/) [Jacob Grimm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-grimm/) > [“to-morrow chop”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-grimm/to-morrow-chop/) [Jacob Grimm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-grimm/) > [“Open the door, my princess dear, Open the door to thy true love here! And mind the words that thou and I said By…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-grimm/open-the-door-my-princess-dear-open-the-door-to-thy-true-love-here/) [Jacob Grimm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-grimm/) > [How often when we are comfortable, we begin to long for something new!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-grimm/how-often-when-we-are-comfortable-we-begin-to-long-for-something-new/) [Jacob Grimm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-grimm/) > [“The huntsman then said that he was to give three beatings and one meal daily to the old donkey, and that was the witch;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-grimm/the-huntsman-then-said-that-he-was-to-give-three-beatings-and-one/) [Jacob Grimm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-grimm/) > [“The frog answered, "I do not care for thy clothes, thy pearls and jewels, or thy golden crown, but if thou wilt love me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-grimm/the-frog-answered-i-do-not-care-for-thy-clothes-thy-pearls-and-jewels/) [Jacob Grimm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-grimm/) [Explore all 47 Jacob Grimm quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-grimm/) ## More Acceptance quotes > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When one fib becomes due as it were, you must forge another to take up the old acceptance; and so the stock of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/when-one-fib-becomes-due-as-it-were-you-must-forge-another-to-take-up/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Acceptance of death when it arrives is one thing, but to allow it to upstage the joys of living is ingratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-blythe/acceptance-of-death-when-it-arrives-is-one-thing-but-to-allow-it-to/) [Ronald Blythe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-blythe/) > [“Loving someone who does not love you back hurts, alot, i know. It is liking seeing these pair of shoes at the retail store…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nomthandazo-tsembeni/loving-someone-who-does-not-love-you-back-hurts-alot-i-know-it-is/) [Nomthandazo Tsembeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nomthandazo-tsembeni/) > [Take responsibily for your past, the bad memories of poor decisions you took were your choices once, and you liked them for the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruho-marvin/take-responsibily-for-your-past-the-bad-memories-of-poor-decisions/) [Aruho Marvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruho-marvin/) > [Let us learn to accept and appreciate things now, and we'll find more happiness in every moment we live. Happiness comes when we stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/let-us-learn-to-accept-and-appreciate-things-now-and-we-ll-find-more/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [“Love first; ask questions later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-courtney/love-first-ask-questions-later/) [Jeremy Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-courtney/) > [“There was beauty in chaos, she'd just never known it before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-linsmeier/there-was-beauty-in-chaos-she-d-just-never-known-it-before/) [Amanda Linsmeier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-linsmeier/) > [Accepting the challenges in life makes it interesting and overcoming them makes it eloquent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/accepting-the-challenges-in-life-makes-it-interesting-and-overcoming/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Acceptance is the only thing you should teach. Be it Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Dalit, you must inculcate acceptance, not tolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamal-haasan/acceptance-is-the-only-thing-you-should-teach-be-it-christian-muslim/) [Kamal Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamal-haasan/) > [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) > [You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. You have to find the redeeming quality and love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/you-should-never-hate-anyone-even-your-worst-enemies-everyone-has/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [The sense that in this universe we are treated as strangers, the longing to be acknowledged, to meet with some response, to bridge some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-sense-that-in-this-universe-we-are-treated-as-strangers-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 3,960 Acceptance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“On the whole it is certainly not necessary. Nothing can better defend us than nature itself, which has let certain flowers and leaves grow in a particular color and shape. People who do not find them beneficial, suitable for their special needs, which cannot be known, can easily walk right by them. But they cannot demand that the flowers and leaves be colored and cut in another way.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jacob Grimm" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-grimm/on-the-whole-it-is-certainly-not-necessary-nothing-can-better-defend/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acceptance" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-grimm/on-the-whole-it-is-certainly-not-necessary-nothing-can-better-defend/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/jacob-grimm-12275_acceptance_on-the-whole-it-is-certainly-not-necessa_1936273.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/jacob-grimm-12275_acceptance_on-the-whole-it-is-certainly-not-necessa_1936273.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f63/jacob-grimm-12275_acceptance_on-the-whole-it-is-certainly-not-necessa_1936273.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“On the whole it is certainly not necessary. Nothing can better defend us than nature itself, which has let…” — Jacob Grimm", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jacob Grimm", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-grimm/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“On the whole it is certainly...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-grimm/on-the-whole-it-is-certainly-not-necessary-nothing-can-better-defend/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-grimm/on-the-whole-it-is-certainly-not-necessary-nothing-can-better-defend/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```