Animals Quote by Rick Bass
““[Wild animals], and the beautiful landscapes that sustain them...possess a value and a virtue regardless of our dwindling connection with them. It seems that there is a virtue and a wisdom in keeping some things beyond our reach: that the protection of wilderness itself is imperative... We have touched, and are consuming, everything. The world is very old, and we are so new. I like the feeling of awe--what the late writer Wallace Stegner called 'the birth of awe'--in beholding wild country not reduced by man. I like to remember that it is wild country that gives rise to wild animals; and that the marvelous specificity of wild animals reminds us to wake up, to let our senses be inflamed by every scent and sound and sight and taste and touch of the world. I like to remember that we are not here forever, and not here alone, and that the respect with which we behold the wild world matters, if anything does.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Wilderness Within” by Rick Bass, 1995
The quote emphasizes the intrinsic value of wild nature and the moral duty to protect it, urging reverence and awe for untouched ecosystems.
In simple terms: Wild nature has its own worth and deserves respect.
Cultivate awe and protect wilderness.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- hiking
- wildlife photography
- environmental education
- policy advocacy
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we balance development with preserving wilderness?
- What practices deepen our sense of awe for nature?
Human progress often overlooks the need for untouched nature, risking loss of ecological and spiritual benefits.