--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Up until the mid twentieth century the…" description: "\"“Up until the mid twentieth century the mountain gorilla was considered a myth. Oddly enough, a legend not unlike bigfoot or the loch ness monster. The..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/677/maynard-james-keenan-3839_black-heart_up-until-the-mid-twentieth-century-the-m_222690.jpg" --- # Up until the mid twentieth century the mountain gorilla… ![“Up until the mid twentieth century the mountain gorilla was considered a myth. Oddly enough, a legend not unlike bigfoot or the loch ness monster. The chance of actually seeing/experiencing this elusive shadow was as likely as finding ones soulmate. Rare. Precious. Even once discovered they seemed…” quote by Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/677/maynard-james-keenan-3839_black-heart_up-until-the-mid-twentieth-century-the-m_222690.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/677/maynard-james-keenan-3839_black-heart_up-until-the-mid-twentieth-century-the-m_222690.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/677/maynard-james-keenan-3839_black-heart_up-until-the-mid-twentieth-century-the-m_222690.jpg) > ““Up until the mid twentieth century the mountain gorilla was considered a myth. Oddly enough, a legend not unlike bigfoot or the loch ness monster. The chance of actually seeing/experiencing this elusive shadow was as likely as finding ones soulmate. Rare. Precious. Even once discovered they seemed unapproachable. The only way to get close to this magnificent creature was to become empathetic. Abandon all pretense and preconceptions. To bare an open throat. To collapse into the arms of vulnerability. All but extinct, these beings/moments are threatened by the black hearted. The cold and oblivious. The empty eyed profit seekers that overlook these rare precious moments.”” [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seeing rare, endangered beings requires shedding ego and embracing vulnerability, confronting exploitative forces that threaten precious moments. **In simple terms:** Approach rare creatures with humility and openness. Key Takeaway Embrace empathy, reject exploitation. Themes environmentalism vulnerability exploitation conservation empathy Mood reflective somber hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - wildlife research - nature photography - conservation activism - personal reflection Key Concepts ecology psychology ethics Questions to Reflect On - How can we foster genuine empathy without romanticizing rarity? - What actions protect vulnerable beings from exploitation? A Different Perspective Vulnerability can be weaponized by those seeking control. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-heart/) [Considered Myth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/considered-myth-2271304/) [Creature Empathetic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creature-empathetic-2271303/) [Gorilla Considered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gorilla-considered-2271302/) [Loch ness monster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loch-ness-monster/) [Mountain Gorilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mountain-gorilla-2271305/) [Myth Oddly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myth-oddly-2271306/) [Precious moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/precious-moments/) ## Related quotes > [Among all researchers who have worked in the African field, I consider myself one of the most fortunate because of the privilege of having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dian-fossey/among-all-researchers-who-have-worked-in-the-african-field-i-consider/) [Dian Fossey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dian-fossey/) > [I had never planned to become a savanna baboon when I grew up; instead, I had always assumed I would become a mountain gorilla.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-never-planned-to-become-a-savanna-baboon-when-i-grew-up-instead/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The mountain gorilla faces grave danger of extinction - primarily because of the encroachments of native man upon its habitat - and neglect by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dian-fossey/the-mountain-gorilla-faces-grave-danger-of-extinction-primarily/) [Dian Fossey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dian-fossey/) > [“Em. 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E.T.s kidnapped me, And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-stafford/inexplicable-by-stewart-stafford-i-ran-into-bigfoot-or-john-paul-yeti/) [Stewart Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-stafford/) > [The Loch Ness monster doesn't exist either. Loch Ness is just not big enough to hide a thirty foot amphibian or reptile for hundreds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-jones/the-loch-ness-monster-doesn-t-exist-either-loch-ness-is-just-not-big/) [Brian Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-jones/) > [“A theist can't empirically prove that God exists but he believes in God because no one can allegedly disprove God's existence. By his logic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-m-jackson/a-theist-can-t-empirically-prove-that-god-exists-but-he-believes-in/) [G.M. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-m-jackson/) > [“One official in the state oil company likened the tribes to the Loch Ness monster, a mere figment of the imagination concocted by environmentalists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-wallace/one-official-in-the-state-oil-company-likened-the-tribes-to-the-loch/) [Scott Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-wallace/) > [I don't understand the feeling of, the way people speak of writing as though it were, like, some kind of djinn to be summoned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-fraction/i-don-t-understand-the-feeling-of-the-way-people-speak-of-writing-as/) [Matt Fraction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-fraction/) > [“More bloodshed followed, as brother fought brother and religion battled religion in the age-old nonsense of settling whose method of worship was the holiest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-alten/more-bloodshed-followed-as-brother-fought-brother-and-religion/) [Steve Alten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-alten/) > [English humor resembles the Loch Ness Monster in that both are famous but there is a strong suspicion that neither exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mikes/english-humor-resembles-the-loch-ness-monster-in-that-both-are-famous/) [George Mikes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mikes/) > [“As those of you with children know, rational parenting is like the Loch Ness Monster. We all hope it's out there somewhere, but we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-sprink/as-those-of-you-with-children-know-rational-parenting-is-like-the/) [Holly Sprink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-sprink/) ## More by Maynard James Keenan > [I can't be a legend yet. I'm not dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-can-t-be-a-legend-yet-i-m-not-dead/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [We are eternal. 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There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/the-process-that-we-go-through-in-recording-with-tool-is-very-organic/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [Just in general, any government throughout history hasn't really wanted its people to be educated, because then they couldn't control them as easily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/just-in-general-any-government-throughout-history-hasn-t-really/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [The trick is to use the drugs once to get there, and maybe spend the next ten years trying to get back there without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/the-trick-is-to-use-the-drugs-once-to-get-there-and-maybe-spend-the/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [“If I let you, you would make me destroy myself. in order to survive you, I must first survive myself. I can sink no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/if-i-let-you-you-would-make-me-destroy-myself-in-order-to-survive-you/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [All I can do is say I smell a rat. I don't know where it is or what kind of rat it is, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/all-i-can-do-is-say-i-smell-a-rat-i-don-t-know-where-it-is-or-what/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [I believe that music is a force in itself. It is there and it needs an outlet, a medium. In a way, we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-believe-that-music-is-a-force-in-itself-it-is-there-and-it-needs-an/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [I want to find a genie in a bottle that can grant me three wishes. 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But I'm a pessimist with a sense of responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-m-a-pessimist-but-i-m-a-pessimist-with-a-sense-of-responsibility/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) [Explore all 121 Maynard James Keenan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) ## More Black heart quotes > [“Nothing will ever be enough to satisfy the black hole in our hearts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soman-chainani/nothing-will-ever-be-enough-to-satisfy-the-black-hole-in-our-hearts/) [Soman Chainani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soman-chainani/) > [“Vasco bought a bottle of vodka to celebrate and they drank it in the old sailors' graveyard in Mangrove South. This was where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-thomson/vasco-bought-a-bottle-of-vodka-to-celebrate-and-they-drank-it-in-the/) [Rupert Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-thomson/) > [A fire, a fire is burning! 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I adore your black hearts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tillie-cole/for-the-supporters-of-the-dark-romance-revolution-i-adore-your-black/) [Tillie Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tillie-cole/) > [People turn up at my shows with black hearts on their knuckles, waving their hands in the air like flags.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yungblud/people-turn-up-at-my-shows-with-black-hearts-on-their-knuckles-waving/) [Yungblud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yungblud/) > [No matter how black the heart becomes there is always a small light that will shine through](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-matter-how-black-the-heart-becomes-there-is-always-a-small-light/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 50 Black heart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-heart/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Up until the mid twentieth century the mountain gorilla was considered a myth. 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