--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: According to legend, Father Earth did not…" description: "\"“According to legend, Father Earth did not originally hate life. In fact, as the lorists tell it, once upon a time Earth did everything he could to fac..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5d/n-k-jemisin-1466_hate-life_according-to-legend-father-earth-did-not_2010571.png" --- # According to legend, Father Earth did not originally hate… ![“According to legend, Father Earth did not originally hate life. In fact, as the lorists tell it, once upon a time Earth did everything he could to facilitate the strange emergence of life on his surface. He crafted even, predictable seasons; kept changes of wind and wave and temperature slow…” quote by N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5d/n-k-jemisin-1466_hate-life_according-to-legend-father-earth-did-not_2010571.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5d/n-k-jemisin-1466_hate-life_according-to-legend-father-earth-did-not_2010571.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5d/n-k-jemisin-1466_hate-life_according-to-legend-father-earth-did-not_2010571.png) > ““According to legend, Father Earth did not originally hate life. In fact, as the lorists tell it, once upon a time Earth did everything he could to facilitate the strange emergence of life on his surface. He crafted even, predictable seasons; kept changes of wind and wave and temperature slow enough that every living being could adapt, evolve; summoned waters that purified themselves, skies that always cleared after a storm. He did not create life—that was happenstance—but he was pleased and fascinated by it, and proud to nurture such strange wild beauty upon his surface. Then people began to do horrible things to Father Earth. They poisoned waters beyond even his ability to cleanse, and killed much of the other life that lived on his surface. They drilled through the crust of his skin, past the blood of his mantle, to get at the sweet marrow of his bones. And at the height of human hubris and might, it was the orogenes who did something that even Earth could not forgive: They destroyed his only child.”” [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Earth, as a sentient being, nurtures life but is betrayed by humanity's destructive actions, leading to irreversible loss. **In simple terms:** Human greed harms the planet, causing tragic consequences. Key Takeaway Protect and respect the environment. Themes environment betrayal human impact Mood urgent somber Type environmental philosophical When to use this quote - climate activism - sustainable living - policy advocacy Key Concepts ecology mythic storytelling anthropocentrism Questions to Reflect On - How can societies shift from exploitation to stewardship? - What responsibilities do we hold toward Earth? A Different Perspective Changing deep‑rooted behaviors is difficult and may face resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Earth Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth-did-271411/) [Earth Forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth-forgive-3334978/) [Earth Poisoned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth-poisoned-3587699/) [Father Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father-earth-1174158/) [Hate life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate-life/) [Legend Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legend-father-964964/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Wild beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wild-beauty/) ## Related quotes > [“According to legend, Father Earth did not originally hate life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/according-to-legend-father-earth-did-not-originally-hate-life/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“We can sit in our corners mute forever while our sisters and our selves are distorted and destroyed, while our earth is poisoned; we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/we-can-sit-in-our-corners-mute-forever-while-our-sisters-and-our/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [“Father Earth thinks in ages, but he never, ever sleeps. Nor does he forget.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/father-earth-thinks-in-ages-but-he-never-ever-sleeps-nor-does-he/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [Live everyday like is ur last day on this earth. Forgive but... Don't forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asmaa-elbaz/live-everyday-like-is-ur-last-day-on-this-earth-forgive-but-don-t/) [Asmaa Elbaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asmaa-elbaz/) > [“For a liveable environment: Mother Earth forgive us too many mistakes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-kristian-goldmund-aumann/for-a-liveable-environment-mother-earth-forgive-us-too-many-mistakes/) [sir kristian goldmund aumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-kristian-goldmund-aumann/) > [You left this world already a legend and to me you will always be one and the father of my heavy metal side. youre…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-ashmore/you-left-this-world-already-a-legend-and-to-me-you-will-always-be-one/) [Timothy Ashmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-ashmore/) > [“Heaven is my father and Earth is my mother and even such a small creature as I finds an intimate place in their midst.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-evelyn-tucker/heaven-is-my-father-and-earth-is-my-mother-and-even-such-a-small/) [Mary Evelyn Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-evelyn-tucker/) > [Kuwait is the mother and father, Earth and it's supplies. She is the past, present and future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaber-al-ahmad-al-sabah/kuwait-is-the-mother-and-father-earth-and-it-s-supplies-she-is-the/) [Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaber-al-ahmad-al-sabah/) > [Call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/call-no-man-your-father-upon-the-earth-for-one-is-your-father-which/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) > [“The Great Spirit is in all things, he is in the air we breathe. The Great Spirit is our Father, but the Earth is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-thunder-bedagi-wabanaki-algonquin/the-great-spirit-is-in-all-things-he-is-in-the-air-we-breathe-the/) [Big Thunder Bedagi Wabanaki Algonquin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-thunder-bedagi-wabanaki-algonquin/) > [My father! The sun is my father, and the earth is my mother, and on her bosom I will recline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/my-father-the-sun-is-my-father-and-the-earth-is-my-mother-and-on-her/) [Tecumseh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tecumseh/) > [Your kid might not have a father on earth that's there for them, but they do have one in heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/your-kid-might-not-have-a-father-on-earth-that-s-there-for-them-but/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [The sun is our father, the earth is our mother. And God is a myth destroying our family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-fowler/the-sun-is-our-father-the-earth-is-our-mother-and-god-is-a-myth/) [Steve Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-fowler/) > [Did protons and electrons create the earth? Or did Allah meditate and create it's birth? Is everyday in this place a curse? Or should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jedi-mind-tricks/did-protons-and-electrons-create-the-earth-or-did-allah-meditate-and/) [Jedi Mind Tricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jedi-mind-tricks/) > [Sell a country! Why not sell the air, the clouds and the great sea, as well as the earth? Did not the Great Spirit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/sell-a-country-why-not-sell-the-air-the-clouds-and-the-great-sea-as/) [Tecumseh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tecumseh/) ## More by N.K. Jemisin > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [You are Insignificant. One of millions, neither special nor unique. I did not ask for this ignominy, and I resent the comparison. Fine. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/you-are-insignificant-one-of-millions-neither-special-nor-unique-i/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“She feels closer than ever to her father in this moment of utter broken rage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/she-feels-closer-than-ever-to-her-father-in-this-moment-of-utter/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“When a comm builds atop a fault line, do you blame its walls when they inevitably crush the people inside? No; you blame whoever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/when-a-comm-builds-atop-a-fault-line-do-you-blame-its-walls-when-they/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“I don’t know how I feel about a canon anymore ... The sheer volume of books that exist out there means that a canon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/i-don-t-know-how-i-feel-about-a-canon-anymore-the-sheer-volume-of/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [ “\[...\] the kind of healer who knows that sometimes one must inflict terrible agony - rebreak a bone, carve off a limb, kill the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/the-kind-of-healer-who-knows-that-sometimes-one-must-inflict-terrible/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [So here is why I write what I do: We all have futures. We all have pasts. We all have stories. And we all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/so-here-is-why-i-write-what-i-do-we-all-have-futures-we-all-have/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“How can we prepare for the future if we won’t acknowledge the past?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/how-can-we-prepare-for-the-future-if-we-won-t-acknowledge-the-past/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“You waver, because you don’t really want to know … but you haven’t been a coward for some years now. So you steel yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/you-waver-because-you-don-t-really-want-to-know-but-you-haven-t-been/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“What can orogeny do against something like that? Keep her breathing, maybe. But breathing doesn't always mean living, and maybe... maybe genocide doesn't always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/what-can-orogeny-do-against-something-like-that-keep-her-breathing/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“What the rust do you matter? Who cares about you? Well, that’s the thing, isn’t it? Once, you did have people who cared about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/what-the-rust-do-you-matter-who-cares-about-you-well-that-s-the-thing/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“Let me say only that these vehicles float a few inches off the ground. No animals draw them. No steam or chemical fuels them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/let-me-say-only-that-these-vehicles-float-a-few-inches-off-the-ground/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [We can never be gods, after all--but we can become something less than human with frightening ease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/we-can-never-be-gods-after-all-but-we-can-become-something-less-than/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“(This is not a digression.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/this-is-not-a-digression/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“He's not a parasite if she needs him, too, and if she gives what he will not take. (One day soon, she will learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/he-s-not-a-parasite-if-she-needs-him-too-and-if-she-gives-what-he/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) [Explore all 225 N.K. Jemisin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) ## More Hate life quotes > [One thing that I really hate in my life is that when I seeing those people calling someone Ugly..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-andrew/one-thing-that-i-really-hate-in-my-life-is-that-when-i-seeing-those/) [JuLian AndRew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-andrew/) > [I hate my life so much, just when I think things are starting to get better, one little thing ruins it and it's just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-my-life-so-much-just-when-i-think-things-are-starting-to-get/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you hate your life, you haven't' seen enough of it. If you hate your life, it's because your life is too small and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/if-you-hate-your-life-you-haven-t-seen-enough-of-it-if-you-hate-your/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [I think I am in my last days, but it doesn't really matter because I have had such a beautiful life. I have lived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-herz-sommer/i-think-i-am-in-my-last-days-but-it-doesn-t-really-matter-because-i/) [Alice Herz-Sommer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-herz-sommer/) > [You can spend your whole life complaining about how much you hate life or you can spend it finding new ways to love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/you-can-spend-your-whole-life-complaining-about-how-much-you-hate/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Sometimes I hate life so much , but I try to still smile as much as I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-i-hate-life-so-much-but-i-try-to-still-smile-as-much-as-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I know how it feels to hate life. You feel like everything bad keeps happening to you. If you keep fighting things will slowly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/i-know-how-it-feels-to-hate-life-you-feel-like-everything-bad-keeps/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [It's a wonder, how people find time to hate when life is too short to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-a-wonder-how-people-find-time-to-hate-when-life-is-too-short-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I hate life and everything that I try to do isn't good enough so this time I'm giving up and I'm done with life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-life-and-everything-that-i-try-to-do-isn-t-good-enough-so-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Appreciate life and what you have because your life could be worse than it is now and you think your life is bad, heres…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kayla/appreciate-life-and-what-you-have-because-your-life-could-be-worse/) [Kayla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kayla/) > [I hate my life as much as mother loves her child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashok-kumar/i-hate-my-life-as-much-as-mother-loves-her-child/) [Ashok Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashok-kumar/) > [Those who hate rain hate life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/those-who-hate-rain-hate-life/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [I hate my life but that's okay because every single other teenage girl seems too also...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-my-life-but-that-s-okay-because-every-single-other-teenage/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes I hate the life I made, everythings wrong everytime. pusing on I cant escape everything that comes my way, is haunting taking its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/korn/sometimes-i-hate-the-life-i-made-everythings-wrong-everytime-pusing/) [Korn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/korn/) > [I know I promised you Jazzy that I wouldnt but I cant stand this anymore I'm fucking crying my eyes out lost as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talyiah/i-know-i-promised-you-jazzy-that-i-wouldnt-but-i-cant-stand-this/) [Talyiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talyiah/) [Browse all 149 Hate life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate-life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“According to legend, Father Earth did not originally hate life. 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