--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We habitually engage in meddling with…" description: "\"We habitually engage in meddling with nature. Until this century most of this meddling was good. Witness the preservation of the European countryside. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c86/lewis-thomas-2299_behave_we-habitually-engage-in-meddling-with-na_3105638.png" --- # We habitually engage in meddling with nature. Until this… ![“We habitually engage in meddling with nature. Until this century most of this meddling was good. Witness the preservation of the European countryside. But since then we've smoked it up and littered it and dumped too much in too many waters. I don't think it's our privilege to behave this way.” quote by Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c86/lewis-thomas-2299_behave_we-habitually-engage-in-meddling-with-na_3105638.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c86/lewis-thomas-2299_behave_we-habitually-engage-in-meddling-with-na_3105638.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c86/lewis-thomas-2299_behave_we-habitually-engage-in-meddling-with-na_3105638.png) > “We habitually engage in meddling with nature. Until this century most of this meddling was good. Witness the preservation of the European countryside. But since then we've smoked it up and littered it and dumped too much in too many waters. I don't think it's our privilege to behave this way.” [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human activity has shifted from preserving nature to degrading it; we must recognize our responsibility to protect the environment. **In simple terms:** We’ve harmed nature and must change our behavior. Key Takeaway Adopt sustainable practices and respect ecosystems. Themes environment human impact responsibility conservation ethics Mood concerned determined Type ethical inspirational When to use this quote - reducing plastic use - supporting reforestation - clean‑up events - policy advocacy - educational outreach Key Concepts ecology sustainability anthropocene Questions to Reflect On - What personal actions can most reduce your ecological footprint? - How can societies enforce environmental stewardship? A Different Perspective Changing habits is difficult without systemic support and incentives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behave/) [Century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/century/) [Century Meddling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/century-meddling-5401231/) [Countryside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/countryside/) [Dumped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dumped/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Meddling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meddling/) [Meddling Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meddling-good-5401232/) [Meddling Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meddling-nature-5401229/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Nature Century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-century-5401230/) [Preservation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preservation/) [Privilege](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privilege/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Too much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-much/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Witness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/witness/) ## Related quotes > [The Gulf States are extraordinarily suspicious of Iran for good reason. They view Iran as meddling in their affairs. They have seen Iran level…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-gulf-states-are-extraordinarily-suspicious-of-iran-for-good/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Our problems are both acute and chronic, yet all we hear from those in positions of leadership are the same tired proposals for more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/our-problems-are-both-acute-and-chronic-yet-all-we-hear-from-those-in/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [A noiseless course, not meddling with the affairs of others, unattractive of notice, is a mark that society is going on in happiness. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/a-noiseless-course-not-meddling-with-the-affairs-of-others/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [All countries in my part of the world, we want democracy to prevail. I told the people, 'If you want American policies to stop,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hassan-rouhani/all-countries-in-my-part-of-the-world-we-want-democracy-to-prevail-i/) [Hassan Rouhani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hassan-rouhani/) > [“Meddling is what we do. It’s what defines us. Meddling gave us fire and tools and civilisation and the keys to the universe. Fingers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/meddling-is-what-we-do-it-s-what-defines-us-meddling-gave-us-fire-and/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [The people, when they say 'Death to America!' - do you know what they are really saying? What they mean to say relates to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hassan-rouhani/the-people-when-they-say-death-to-america-do-you-know-what-they-are/) [Hassan Rouhani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hassan-rouhani/) > [If Americans want prosperity, we need a grand reawakening to the incontrovertible fact that its source is entrepreneurs unfettered by meddling politicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/star-parker/if-americans-want-prosperity-we-need-a-grand-reawakening-to-the/) [Star Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/star-parker/) > [A man is likely to mind his own business when it is worth minding. When it is not, he takes his mind off his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/a-man-is-likely-to-mind-his-own-business-when-it-is-worth-minding/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, meddling, lust of power, and idle talk. But give rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ephrem-the-syrian/o-lord-and-master-of-my-life-take-from-me-the-spirit-of-sloth/) [Ephrem the Syrian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ephrem-the-syrian/) > [... a less than perfect meddling in the spiritual world can breed monsters for other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/a-less-than-perfect-meddling-in-the-spiritual-world-can-breed/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [I think my constant fiddling and meddling with the status quo may have been one of my biggest contributions to the later success of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-walton/i-think-my-constant-fiddling-and-meddling-with-the-status-quo-may/) [Sam Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-walton/) > [Meddling with another man's folly is always thankless work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/meddling-with-another-man-s-folly-is-always-thankless-work/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Mrs. Jennings was a widow, with an ample jointure. She had only two daughters, both of whom she had lived to see respectably married,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/mrs-jennings-was-a-widow-with-an-ample-jointure-she-had-only-two/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“Never stand in the way of letting God use people’s actions, in order to solve a greater issue in the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/never-stand-in-the-way-of-letting-god-use-people-s-actions-in-order/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [ Crack-brained meddling by the authorities \[can\] aggravate an existing crisis. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/crack-brained-meddling-by-the-authorities-can-aggravate-an-existing/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) ## More by Lewis Thomas > [“We are endowed with genes which code out our reaction to beavers and otters, maybe our reaction to each other as well. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-endowed-with-genes-which-code-out-our-reaction-to-beavers-and/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [We are a spectacular, splendid manifestation of life. We have language. . . . We have affection. We have genes for usefulness, and usefulness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-a-spectacular-splendid-manifestation-of-life-we-have-language/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [“It is not a simple thing to decide where we fit, for at one time or another in our lives we manage to organize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/it-is-not-a-simple-thing-to-decide-where-we-fit-for-at-one-time-or/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [It is in our genes to understand the universe if we can, to keep trying even if we cannot, and to be enchanted by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/it-is-in-our-genes-to-understand-the-universe-if-we-can-to-keep/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [If an idea cannot move on its own, pushing it doesn't help; best to let it lie there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/if-an-idea-cannot-move-on-its-own-pushing-it-doesn-t-help-best-to-let/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [Left to ourselves, mechanistic and autonomic, we hanker for friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/left-to-ourselves-mechanistic-and-autonomic-we-hanker-for-friends/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [I do not agree with this century's fashion of running down the human species as a failed try, a doomed sport. At our worst,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/i-do-not-agree-with-this-century-s-fashion-of-running-down-the-human/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [It would seem to me... an offense against nature, for us to come on the same scene endowed as we are with the curiosity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/it-would-seem-to-me-an-offense-against-nature-for-us-to-come-on-the/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [The drive to be useful is encoded in our genes. But when we gather in very large numbers, as in the modern nation-state, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/the-drive-to-be-useful-is-encoded-in-our-genes-but-when-we-gather-in/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [I would send the complete works of Johann Sebastian Bach into outer space on the Voyager spacecraft. But that would be boasting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/i-would-send-the-complete-works-of-johann-sebastian-bach-into-outer/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [“Nature abhors a long silence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/nature-abhors-a-long-silence/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [“The future is too interesting and dangerous to be entrusted to any predictable, reliable agency. We need all the fallibility we can get. Most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/the-future-is-too-interesting-and-dangerous-to-be-entrusted-to-any/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [We pass the word around; we ponder how the case is put by different people, we read the poetry; we meditate over the literature;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-pass-the-word-around-we-ponder-how-the-case-is-put-by-different/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [“The uniformity of the earth's life, more astonishing than its diversity, is accountable by the high probability that we derived, originally, from some single…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/the-uniformity-of-the-earth-s-life-more-astonishing-than-its/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [Having long suspected that there was something alive in there, running the place, separate from everything else, absolutely individual and independent, we've celebrated by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/having-long-suspected-that-there-was-something-alive-in-there-running/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) [Explore all 173 Lewis Thomas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) ## More Behave quotes > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To behave creatively in art means behavior with skill; and skill comes from discipline, not derangement. The artist who knows the rules -and proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burne-hogarth/to-behave-creatively-in-art-means-behavior-with-skill-and-skill-comes/) [Burne Hogarth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burne-hogarth/) > [You can behave as badly as you like in America. Nobody notices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/you-can-behave-as-badly-as-you-like-in-america-nobody-notices/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [“Then Olympus it is. But do try to behave. I know it’s hard for you, but… (Delphine) I won’t piss on the floor. (Jericho)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/then-olympus-it-is-but-do-try-to-behave-i-know-it-s-hard-for-you-but/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [The possibility of saying anything about a thing rests on the assumption that it preserves its identity, or continues to be the same thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-knight/the-possibility-of-saying-anything-about-a-thing-rests-on-the/) [Frank Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-knight/) > [Why does man behave like perfect idiot? This is the problem I wish to deal with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-szent-gyorgyi/why-does-man-behave-like-perfect-idiot-this-is-the-problem-i-wish-to/) [Albert Szent-Gyorgyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-szent-gyorgyi/) > [This is a time in my life where I'm gonna behave like an elegant human being. Or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-stritch/this-is-a-time-in-my-life-where-i-m-gonna-behave-like-an-elegant/) [Elaine Stritch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-stritch/) > [Most people, even in simple risky situations, don't behave the way the theory of utility would have them behave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-raiffa/most-people-even-in-simple-risky-situations-don-t-behave-the-way-the/) [Howard Raiffa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-raiffa/) > [As a club, we have an educational purpose: to give back to those people who love Arsenal so that they learn moral values from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arsene-wenger/as-a-club-we-have-an-educational-purpose-to-give-back-to-those-people/) [Arsene Wenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arsene-wenger/) > [What astonishes many of us is not so much that human nature is fundamentally corrupt; we are astonished rather that it does not behave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morton-irving-seiden/what-astonishes-many-of-us-is-not-so-much-that-human-nature-is/) [Morton Irving Seiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morton-irving-seiden/) > [Do we behave out of fear of punishment, or out of the demands of our heart? For me, it is the latter, as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-we-behave-out-of-fear-of-punishment-or-out-of-the-demands-of-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you are in hard labor, remember that the length of labor is usually proportional to the number of people around. Avoid the presence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-odent/when-you-are-in-hard-labor-remember-that-the-length-of-labor-is/) [Michel Odent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-odent/) > [The superpowers often behave like two heavily armed blind men feeling their way around a room, each believing himself in mortal peril from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-superpowers-often-behave-like-two-heavily-armed-blind-men-feeling/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For political and bureaucratic reasons, governments at all levels are telling far less to the public than to insiders about how to prepare for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/for-political-and-bureaucratic-reasons-governments-at-all-levels-are/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) [Browse all 1,587 Behave quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behave/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We habitually engage in meddling with nature. Until this century most of this meddling was good. Witness the preservation of the European countryside. But since then we've smoked it up and littered it and dumped too much in too many waters. I don't think it's our privilege to behave this way.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lewis Thomas" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-habitually-engage-in-meddling-with-nature-until-this-century-most/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Behave" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-habitually-engage-in-meddling-with-nature-until-this-century-most/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c86/lewis-thomas-2299_behave_we-habitually-engage-in-meddling-with-na_3105638.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c86/lewis-thomas-2299_behave_we-habitually-engage-in-meddling-with-na_3105638.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c86/lewis-thomas-2299_behave_we-habitually-engage-in-meddling-with-na_3105638.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We habitually engage in meddling with nature. Until this century most of this meddling was good. Witness the…” — Lewis Thomas", "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": "Lewis Thomas", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We habitually engage in meddling with...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-habitually-engage-in-meddling-with-nature-until-this-century-most/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-habitually-engage-in-meddling-with-nature-until-this-century-most/#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 } } ] } ```