Capacity Quote by Rita Mae Brown
“I'm beginning to feel that the real endangered species on planet earth are not the whales and the elephants but those of us who can laugh at the world and ourselves. ... I fear the dry turn of the American mind, this focus on the literal, as much as I fear our capacity for self-destruction. We've become hagridden by facts, obsessed with product instead of process. Where's the energetic wit, the looney outlook, the frivolity, the lightness of comforting laughter? It has become fashionable to know and unfashionable to feel, and you can't really laugh if you can't feel.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Endangered Species of Laughter, Rita Mae Brown, 1990
The quote warns that society is losing the ability to laugh and feel, becoming overly literal and fact‑driven, which threatens emotional health and creativity.
In simple terms: We are losing humor and feeling, becoming too literal and fact‑focused.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate humor and emotional awareness.
Themes
humor
emotional health
culture
creativity
reflection
Mood
concerned
thoughtful
hopeful
Type
observational
philosophical
social commentary
When to use this quote
- personal relationships
- media consumption
- education
- mental health
- creative work
Key Concepts
social critique
psychology
literary essay
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you bring more laughter into daily life?
- What does feeling versus knowing mean for you?
A Different Perspective
Humor alone cannot solve systemic issues; deeper change is needed.
