--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We don't give a damn what you or anybody…" description: "\"We don't give a damn what you or anybody else on this planet thinks. We didn't sink those ships for you. We did it for the whales.\" — Paul Watson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15f/paul-watson-1855_animal_we-don-t-give-a-damn-what-you-or-anybody_3068503.jpg" --- # We don't give a damn what you or anybody else on this… ![“We don't give a damn what you or anybody else on this planet thinks. We didn't sink those ships for you. We did it for the whales.” quote by Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15f/paul-watson-1855_animal_we-don-t-give-a-damn-what-you-or-anybody_3068503.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15f/paul-watson-1855_animal_we-don-t-give-a-damn-what-you-or-anybody_3068503.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15f/paul-watson-1855_animal_we-don-t-give-a-damn-what-you-or-anybody_3068503.jpg) > “We don't give a damn what you or anybody else on this planet thinks. We didn't sink those ships for you. We did it for the whales.” [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Actions are driven by purpose, not public opinion; protecting whales outweighs seeking approval **In simple terms:** Purposeful action transcends others' judgments Key Takeaway Act for cause, not applause Themes environment activism principle Mood determined passionate Type activist ethical When to use this quote - whale protection campaigns - public policy debates Key Concepts ethical activism marine conservation Questions to Reflect On - How to stay motivated despite criticism? - What fuels commitment to a cause? A Different Perspective Opposition may hinder progress ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Whales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whales/) ## Related quotes > [I've seen that picture before. It was a two-seamer that didn't sink until it hit the upper deck somewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-torre/i-ve-seen-that-picture-before-it-was-a-two-seamer-that-didn-t-sink/) [Joe Torre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-torre/) > [You mentioned the Navy, for example, and that we have fewer ships than we did in 1916. Well, Governor, we also have fewer horses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/you-mentioned-the-navy-for-example-and-that-we-have-fewer-ships-than/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [You mention the Navy, for example, and the fact that we have fewer ships than we did in 1916. Well governor, we also have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/you-mention-the-navy-for-example-and-the-fact-that-we-have-fewer/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [To me extremism is targeting endangered whales in a whale sanctuary in violation of a moratorium. That, to me, is extreme.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/to-me-extremism-is-targeting-endangered-whales-in-a-whale-sanctuary/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [Ships are expendable; the whales are not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/ships-are-expendable-the-whales-are-not/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [In 'Deadliest Catch,' we have men in ships in rough seas catching crabs. With 'Whale Wars,' we have men and women from a dozen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/in-deadliest-catch-we-have-men-in-ships-in-rough-seas-catching-crabs/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [I have been honoured to serve the whales, dolphins, seals - and all the other creatures on this Earth. Their beauty, intelligence, strength, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/i-have-been-honoured-to-serve-the-whales-dolphins-seals-and-all-the/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [This isn't a hunt that's going to kill just four or five gray whales. The repercussions of this will have an effect on tens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/this-isn-t-a-hunt-that-s-going-to-kill-just-four-or-five-gray-whales/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [I have never suffered under any delusion that saving the whales in the Antarctic sanctuary would be easy, but the one thing I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/i-have-never-suffered-under-any-delusion-that-saving-the-whales-in/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [My position is this. If we can't protect sanctuaries, if we can't save the whales, the sharks, the fish, our oceans will die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/my-position-is-this-if-we-can-t-protect-sanctuaries-if-we-can-t-save/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [I can assure you no whales are going to be killed today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/i-can-assure-you-no-whales-are-going-to-be-killed-today/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [An American citizen is not going to be extradited to Japan for saving whales.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/an-american-citizen-is-not-going-to-be-extradited-to-japan-for-saving/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [I don't see the point in making a distinction between natives having more of a right to kill whales than nonnative people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/i-don-t-see-the-point-in-making-a-distinction-between-natives-having/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [Back in 1980, whale watching surpassed whaling as an industry. Now it's worth about four times as much. Whale watching provides far, far more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/back-in-1980-whale-watching-surpassed-whaling-as-an-industry-now-it-s/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [Whales are killed today to supply the limited demand for whale meat or to be used in pet foods or as fodder for fur-bearing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/whales-are-killed-today-to-supply-the-limited-demand-for-whale-meat/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) ## More by Paul Watson > [Social change comes through people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/social-change-comes-through-people/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [Sea Shepherd is to terrorism what Groucho was to Marxism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/sea-shepherd-is-to-terrorism-what-groucho-was-to-marxism/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [You don't get anywhere unless you've had a little bit of a complicated life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/you-don-t-get-anywhere-unless-you-ve-had-a-little-bit-of-a/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [Here's the thing: Nobody gets extradited for a crime where nobody's been hurt, where no property's been damaged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/here-s-the-thing-nobody-gets-extradited-for-a-crime-where-nobody-s/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [The shark is the apex predator in the sea. Sharks have molded evolution for 450 million years. All fish species that are prey to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/the-shark-is-the-apex-predator-in-the-sea-sharks-have-molded/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [We are literally eating the oceans alive and there are simply not enough fish to continue to feed an ever expanding population of humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/we-are-literally-eating-the-oceans-alive-and-there-are-simply-not/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [I want to stay in the ocean. I'm not going to be able to do that from some holding cell in Japan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/i-want-to-stay-in-the-ocean-i-m-not-going-to-be-able-to-do-that-from/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [It is true that many of the Sea Shepherd crewmembers are inexperienced, but the fact is that these volunteers bring a passion to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/it-is-true-that-many-of-the-sea-shepherd-crewmembers-are/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [We have intelligent species on our planet that we are not even trying to communicate with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/we-have-intelligent-species-on-our-planet-that-we-are-not-even-trying/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [I don't think you really have to retire from what you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/i-don-t-think-you-really-have-to-retire-from-what-you-do/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [If you want to know where you would have stood on slavery before the Civil War, don’t look at where you stand on slavery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/if-you-want-to-know-where-you-would-have-stood-on-slavery-before-the/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [People sometimes feel frustrated about what's going on in our oceans and environment, and 'Whale Wars' shows that ordinary people can take action and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/people-sometimes-feel-frustrated-about-what-s-going-on-in-our-oceans/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [The only language that the Japanese whaling industry understands is economics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/the-only-language-that-the-japanese-whaling-industry-understands-is/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [I'm not pessimistic about anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/i-m-not-pessimistic-about-anything/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [I don't eat fish because there is no such thing as sustainable fishing in the world right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/i-don-t-eat-fish-because-there-is-no-such-thing-as-sustainable/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) [Explore all 203 Paul Watson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) ## More Animal quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Humans are animals too, but some do not like to work from expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/humans-are-animals-too-but-some-do-not-like-to-work-from-expectations/) Mak\_786 > [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“it is a federal system of sadistic torture, vivisection, and animal genocide, which has been carried on for decades under the fraudulent guise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tobias/it-is-a-federal-system-of-sadistic-torture-vivisection-and-animal/) [Michael Tobias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tobias/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) > [We must love animals in such a powerful way that we should reject to eat them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/we-must-love-animals-in-such-a-powerful-way-that-we-should-reject-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [This brings me back to the image of Kafka standing before a fish in the Berlin aquarium, a fish on which his gaze fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/this-brings-me-back-to-the-image-of-kafka-standing-before-a-fish-in/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [That dog, I say that dog is lower than a snake full of buckshot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foghorn-leghorn/that-dog-i-say-that-dog-is-lower-than-a-snake-full-of-buckshot/) [Foghorn Leghorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foghorn-leghorn/) > [I bet plants go like 'Weeeeeeeee!' whenever they're swallowed by a giraffe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-bet-plants-go-like-weeeeeeeee-whenever-they-re-swallowed-by-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Animal rights without veganism is like human rights with slavery. It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We don't give a damn what you or anybody else on this planet thinks. We didn't sink those ships for you. 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