---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A pleasant natural environment is a good…"
description: "\"A pleasant natural environment is a good - a luxury good, philosophical good, a moral goody-good, a good time for all. Whatever, we want it. If we want..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d72/p-j-o-rourke-184_cash_a-pleasant-natural-environment-is-a-good_1118110.png"
---

#  A pleasant natural environment is a good - a luxury good…

![“A pleasant natural environment is a good - a luxury good, philosophical good, a moral goody-good, a good time for all. Whatever, we want it. If we want something, we should pay for it, with our labor or our cash. We shouldn't beg it, steal it, sit around wishing for it, or euchre the government…” quote by P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d72/p-j-o-rourke-184_cash_a-pleasant-natural-environment-is-a-good_1118110.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d72/p-j-o-rourke-184_cash_a-pleasant-natural-environment-is-a-good_1118110.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d72/p-j-o-rourke-184_cash_a-pleasant-natural-environment-is-a-good_1118110.png)

> “A pleasant natural environment is a good - a luxury good, philosophical good, a moral goody-good, a good time for all. Whatever, we want it. If we want something, we should pay for it, with our labor or our cash. We shouldn't beg it, steal it, sit around wishing for it, or euchre the government into taking it by force.”

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A thriving natural setting is a valuable, ethical, and enjoyable asset that should be earned rather than taken by force.

**In simple terms:** Nature is a valuable, ethical asset we must earn.

Key Takeaway

Earn and protect natural spaces.

Themes

environment ethics economics politics rights

Mood

concerned determined

Type

ethical political

When to use this quote

- urban planning
- conservation policy
- community activism
- personal lifestyle choices

Key Concepts

public goods moral philosophy labor value

Questions to Reflect On

- How can societies ensure equitable access to natural spaces?
- What responsibilities do wealthier individuals have?

A Different Perspective

Assumes universal ability to pay, ignoring inequality.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cash/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Environment Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment-good-491798/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Good times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-times/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Labor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labor/) [Luxury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luxury/) [Luxury Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luxury-good-571543/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Moral Goody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral-goody-3011380/) [Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural/) [Natural environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-environment/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay/) [Philosophical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophical/) [Philosophical Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophical-good-3011379/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Pleasant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasant/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Stealing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stealing/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-something/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/)

## Related quotes

> [The natural environment is not particularly hospitable to human life ... the key to having a good environment is improving it through work... .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-epstein/the-natural-environment-is-not-particularly-hospitable-to-human-life/)

[Alex Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-epstein/)

> [“Who were these people with money, and what had they done that they should enjoy so much luxury, where others as good seemingly as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/who-were-these-people-with-money-and-what-had-they-done-that-they/)

[Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/)

> [Art is the ultimate luxury good, but one that can make you think, give a you a blast of beauty and enhance your life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-elliot/art-is-the-ultimate-luxury-good-but-one-that-can-make-you-think-give/)

[Ben Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-elliot/)

> [“In life there are many thing's you may not like or want but is necessary for stability and sustainability for life and its environment.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymouse/in-life-there-are-many-thing-s-you-may-not-like-or-want-but-is/)

[Anonymouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymouse/)

> [For the good of our environment, the good of the economy, and the good of the Nation, I strongly urge support of the upper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-boswell/for-the-good-of-our-environment-the-good-of-the-economy-and-the-good/)

[Leonard Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-boswell/)

> [It's just like any relationship, the more contained the environment, the more the good stuff appears and the more the bad stuff will reveal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-greenwood/it-s-just-like-any-relationship-the-more-contained-the-environment/)

[Bruce Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-greenwood/)

> [People don't want to go to the dump and have a picnic, they want to go out to a beautiful place and enjoy their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicklaus/people-don-t-want-to-go-to-the-dump-and-have-a-picnic-they-want-to-go/)

[Jack Nicklaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicklaus/)

> [We are evolutionary descendents of this marvellous panoply of life. And what that says unequivocally is we have an utter total obligation to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-hood/we-are-evolutionary-descendents-of-this-marvellous-panoply-of-life/)

[Leroy Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-hood/)

> [The environment that people live in is the environment that they learn to live in, respond to, and perpetuate. If the environment is good,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-swallow-richards/the-environment-that-people-live-in-is-the-environment-that-they/)

[Ellen Swallow Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-swallow-richards/)

> [If your home environment is good and peaceful and easy, your life is better and easier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-greiner/if-your-home-environment-is-good-and-peaceful-and-easy-your-life-is/)

[Lori Greiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-greiner/)

> [Good design is innovative Gives a product utility Is aesthetic Makes a product easy to understand Is unobtrusive Is honest Is long-lived Is consistent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-rams/good-design-is-innovative-gives-a-product-utility-is-aesthetic-makes/)

[Dieter Rams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-rams/)

> [Embracing our environment is a good direction, a very spiritual direction. It's too Aristotelian to separate man from the animals and man; humans from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surya-das/embracing-our-environment-is-a-good-direction-a-very-spiritual/)

[Surya Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surya-das/)

> [If the salmon and steelhead are running, then as far as I am concerned, God knows that all is well in His worldthe health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-mccall/if-the-salmon-and-steelhead-are-running-then-as-far-as-i-am-concerned/)

[Tom McCall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-mccall/)

> [Our population and our use of the finite resources of planet Earth are growing exponentially, along with our technical ability to change the environment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/our-population-and-our-use-of-the-finite-resources-of-planet-earth/)

[Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/)

> [A sustainable business is resource efficient, respects the environment and is a good neighbour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-harding/a-sustainable-business-is-resource-efficient-respects-the-environment/)

[Phil Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-harding/)

## More by P. J. O'Rourke

> [I'm fascinated by political enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-m-fascinated-by-political-enthusiasm/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [In comparative terms, there's no poverty in America by a long shot. Heritage Foundation political scientist Robert Rector has worked up figures showing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-comparative-terms-there-s-no-poverty-in-america-by-a-long-shot/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [The Democrats said, "We don't know what's wrong with America, but we can fix it." The Republicans said, "There's nothing wrong with America, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/the-democrats-said-we-don-t-know-what-s-wrong-with-america-but-we-can/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [At Epcot Center the Disney corporation has focused its attention on two things greatly in need of Disneyfication: the tedious future and the annoying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/at-epcot-center-the-disney-corporation-has-focused-its-attention-on/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [So-called Western Civilization, as practised in half of Europe, some of Asia and a few parts of North America, is better than anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/so-called-western-civilization-as-practised-in-half-of-europe-some-of/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [My whole family can talk. They are all car salesmen. They are all funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/my-whole-family-can-talk-they-are-all-car-salesmen-they-are-all-funny/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [It was Ronald Reagan who used to say that the 10 most frightening words in the English language are, "I'm from the federal government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/it-was-ronald-reagan-who-used-to-say-that-the-10-most-frightening/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [Gun violence has cost us too many political leaders, and hardly ever the worst ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/gun-violence-has-cost-us-too-many-political-leaders-and-hardly-ever/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [Pete Seeger is a modest, unassuming, cheerful, and kind-natured man. He's a good folk singer, if you can stand folk singing. And he's such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/pete-seeger-is-a-modest-unassuming-cheerful-and-kind-natured-man-he-s/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [Journalists are notoriously easy to kid. All you have to do is speak to a journalist in a very serious tone of voice, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/journalists-are-notoriously-easy-to-kid-all-you-have-to-do-is-speak/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [I like to think of my behavior in the sixties as a 'learning experience.' Then again, I like to think of anything stupid I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-like-to-think-of-my-behavior-in-the-sixties-as-a-learning/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [I'll be 56 this year, I've got two kids, and I think it's probably time to go back to writing one-glove jokes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-ll-be-56-this-year-i-ve-got-two-kids-and-i-think-it-s-probably-time/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [Something that comes to us, some gym shoe that comes to us as a result of child labor from a brutal dictatorship, where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/something-that-comes-to-us-some-gym-shoe-that-comes-to-us-as-a-result/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [Russians not only vehemently despise blacks, they believe Africa begins at the Ukraine border.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/russians-not-only-vehemently-despise-blacks-they-believe-africa/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [Now, do I think the baby boomers tend to be self-absorbed? I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/now-do-i-think-the-baby-boomers-tend-to-be-self-absorbed-i-do/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

[Explore all 983 P. J. O'Rourke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

## More Cash quotes

> [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [A garden has a curious innocent way of consuming cash while all the time you are under the illusion that you are spending nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-meynell/a-garden-has-a-curious-innocent-way-of-consuming-cash-while-all-the/)

[Esther Meynell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-meynell/)

> [Nothing knits man to man like the frequent passage from hand to hand of cash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-sickert/nothing-knits-man-to-man-like-the-frequent-passage-from-hand-to-hand/)

[Walter Sickert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-sickert/)

> [“It’s me,” he says softly. “Stop listening to everything else. Remember the way you feel when I’m kissing you and touching you. Don’t think with your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-leighton/it-s-me-he-says-softly-stop-listening-to-everything-else-remember-the/)

[M. Leighton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-leighton/)

> [After I graduated, I carried on with my academic work, via grants but I often had a market stall on Camden Market selling hand-painted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bettany-hughes/after-i-graduated-i-carried-on-with-my-academic-work-via-grants-but-i/)

[Bettany Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bettany-hughes/)

> [You might be a redneck if you have a picture of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, or Elvis over your fireplace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-foxworthy/you-might-be-a-redneck-if-you-have-a-picture-of-johnny-cash-willie/)

[Jeff Foxworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-foxworthy/)

> [American forces in Iraq found $650 million in American cash sealed in a hidden cottage. See, this is why President Bush wants to invade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/american-forces-in-iraq-found-650-million-in-american-cash-sealed-in/)

[Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/)

> [I feel a lot better when I've got a bit of cash on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-doherty/i-feel-a-lot-better-when-i-ve-got-a-bit-of-cash-on-me/)

[Pete Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-doherty/)

> [If our financial industry regarded security the way the health-care sector does, I would stuff my cash in a mattress under my bed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avi-rubin/if-our-financial-industry-regarded-security-the-way-the-health-care/)

[Avi Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avi-rubin/)

> [Why, just a couple of economic seasons ago, was idle cash considered an indication of bad management or lazy management? Because it meant that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/why-just-a-couple-of-economic-seasons-ago-was-idle-cash-considered-an/)

[Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/)

> [The only issue cash presents you is the independence of not stressing about funds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-carson/the-only-issue-cash-presents-you-is-the-independence-of-not-stressing/)

[Johnny Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-carson/)

> [It's funny about men and women. Men pay in cash to get them and pay in cash to get rid of them. Women pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedy-lamarr/it-s-funny-about-men-and-women-men-pay-in-cash-to-get-them-and-pay-in/)

[Hedy Lamarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedy-lamarr/)

> [ I mean, you take a look at this, it's one way. \[Mexicans\] get the jobs, they get the factories, they get the cash, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-mean-you-take-a-look-at-this-it-s-one-way-mexicans-get-the-jobs/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [It was really starting to get pathetic, everyday they would come in looking for one thing or another. 'Zach, can you give me some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/it-was-really-starting-to-get-pathetic-everyday-they-would-come-in/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [One of my officers said to me that Trinidad and Tobago is seen like an ATM card... you come in with the card and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamla-persad-bissessar/one-of-my-officers-said-to-me-that-trinidad-and-tobago-is-seen-like/)

[Kamla Persad-Bissessar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamla-persad-bissessar/)

[Browse all 1,141 Cash quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cash/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "A pleasant natural environment is a good - a luxury good, philosophical good, a moral goody-good, a good time for all. Whatever, we want it. If we want something, we should pay for it, with our labor or our cash. We shouldn't beg it, steal it, sit around wishing for it, or euchre the government into taking it by force.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "P. J. O'Rourke"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/a-pleasant-natural-environment-is-a-good-a-luxury-good-philosophical/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Cash"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/a-pleasant-natural-environment-is-a-good-a-luxury-good-philosophical/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d72/p-j-o-rourke-184_cash_a-pleasant-natural-environment-is-a-good_1118110.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d72/p-j-o-rourke-184_cash_a-pleasant-natural-environment-is-a-good_1118110.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d72/p-j-o-rourke-184_cash_a-pleasant-natural-environment-is-a-good_1118110.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“A pleasant natural environment is a good - a luxury good, philosophical good, a moral goody-good, a good…” — P. J. O'Rourke",
                "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": "P. J. O'Rourke",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "A pleasant natural environment is a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/a-pleasant-natural-environment-is-a-good-a-luxury-good-philosophical/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/a-pleasant-natural-environment-is-a-good-a-luxury-good-philosophical/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
