2012 Quote by Mark Sundeen
““Ever since he'd given up money, certain people had called him a freeloader, a parasite. (As one comment-thread malapropist put it: "Do you Believe you are smooching off others?") They demanded to know what he was giving back. To which Suelo asked, Who says you need to give something back? What does a raven give? What does a barnacle give, or a coyote? In his view, every living thing gave plenty, merely by existing. But from a strictly materialistic view, his critics had an excellent point. A raven contributes nothing, except of course his own corpse, which will feed some other being. Now Suelo was dying, and he offered his body to the ravens, the coyotes, the ringtails, the mice, the ants.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: "The Philosophy of Giving", 2012, USA
He argues that existence itself is a contribution, challenging materialist expectations of reciprocity.
In simple terms: Living is giving just by being.
Key Takeaway
Recognize inherent value of existence.
Themes
existence
reciprocity
philosophy
Mood
thoughtful
contemplative
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- Environmental stewardship
- community service
- personal reflection
- life purpose
Key Concepts
Ecology
ethical altruism
Questions to Reflect On
- What non-material contributions do you make?
- How do you balance being and giving?
A Different Perspective
May overlook practical needs of others.
![“...the Chöd teachings attributed to Machik Labdrön both rely and innovate on Buddhist representations of mental functionings of a human being, including the onto-epistemological trope of the Universal Base Consciousness [ ālaya-vijñāna ] and the psycho-ethical trope of Negative Forces as Düd […” quote by Michelle Sorensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3e3/michelle-sorensen-60370_2013_the-ch-d-teachings-attributed-to-machik_1660515.jpg)
