--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Yes, the worst parasites. We reproduce…" description: "\"“Yes, the worst parasites. We reproduce with no internal limitations. We consume and destroy and make war. We have no predator except ourselves, and le..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6e/ryan-winfield-19448_war_yes-the-worst-parasites-we-reproduce-wit_315904.jpg" --- # Yes, the worst parasites. We reproduce with no internal… ![“Yes, the worst parasites. We reproduce with no internal limitations. We consume and destroy and make war. We have no predator except ourselves, and left unchecked we destroy ourselves every time. And we destroy the planet along with us. Humankind is the thing that must be contained. Man must be…” quote by Ryan Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6e/ryan-winfield-19448_war_yes-the-worst-parasites-we-reproduce-wit_315904.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6e/ryan-winfield-19448_war_yes-the-worst-parasites-we-reproduce-wit_315904.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6e/ryan-winfield-19448_war_yes-the-worst-parasites-we-reproduce-wit_315904.jpg) > ““Yes, the worst parasites. We reproduce with no internal limitations. We consume and destroy and make war. We have no predator except ourselves, and left unchecked we destroy ourselves every time. And we destroy the planet along with us. Humankind is the thing that must be contained. Man must be checked. We were nature’s mistake—the only species worth extinction is our very own.”” [Ryan Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-winfield/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human activity, driven by unchecked growth and self‑destruction, threatens both humanity and the planet, suggesting we must limit our own expansion. **In simple terms:** Humans overrun nature and need to be restrained. Key Takeaway Implement strict limits on resource use. Themes environment self‑destruction overpopulation ethics sustainability Mood urgent concerned Type cautionary activist When to use this quote - policy making - education - community planning - personal lifestyle changes Key Concepts anthropocentrism ecological limits existential risk Questions to Reflect On - How can societies balance progress with planetary health? - What policies could effectively curb harmful consumption? A Different Perspective Human ingenuity can also create solutions, not just destruction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Humankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humankind/) [Parasites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parasites/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [I have a real low tolerance for parasites, and you're so close to the limit that I'm already reaching for the flea powder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-howard/i-have-a-real-low-tolerance-for-parasites-and-you-re-so-close-to-the/) [Linda Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-howard/) > [“The craft, trade, agriculture, science, a large part of the art - all this can only stand on a broad base , on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-craft-trade-agriculture-science-a-large-part-of-the-art-all-this/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [So-called 'higher education' is a veritable magnet for second-raters and actively destructive parasites bent on promoting unsound ideas to the inexperienced and gullible. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-casey/so-called-higher-education-is-a-veritable-magnet-for-second-raters/) [Doug Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-casey/) > [The text moves like a small crustacean with compound eye and complex nervous system; throbbing, involuted, it becomes a parasite on a different body,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-brossard/the-text-moves-like-a-small-crustacean-with-compound-eye-and-complex/) [Nicole Brossard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-brossard/) > [If I come back as an animal in my next lifetime, I hope it's some type of parasite, because this is the part where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/if-i-come-back-as-an-animal-in-my-next-lifetime-i-hope-it-s-some-type/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [ To say that poverty explains terror is to slander those caught in poverty who choose to lead worthy lives. \[Terrorists\] are not the oppressed,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-wilentz/to-say-that-poverty-explains-terror-is-to-slander-those-caught-in/) [Sean Wilentz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-wilentz/) > [ A lawyer’s either a social engineer or … a parasite on society … A social engineer \[is\] a highly skilled, perceptive, sensitive lawyer who… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-hamilton-houston/a-lawyer-s-either-a-social-engineer-or-a-parasite-on-society-a-social/) [Charles Hamilton Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-hamilton-houston/) > [Every club has three types: fans, parasites and people who work their bollocks off, even ladies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-bates/every-club-has-three-types-fans-parasites-and-people-who-work-their/) [Ken Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-bates/) > [Lacking its own ingenuity, the parasite fears the visionary. What it cannot plagiarize, it seeks to censor. What it cannot regulate, it seeks to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-ryan/lacking-its-own-ingenuity-the-parasite-fears-the-visionary-what-it/) [Andrew Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-ryan/) > [“Lankester’s mistake didn’t stem simply from a loathing for all parasites;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lankester-s-mistake-didn-t-stem-simply-from-a-loathing-for-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I get a great laugh from artists who ridicule the critics as parasites and artists manqués — sucha horrible joke. I can’t imagine a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-farber/i-get-a-great-laugh-from-artists-who-ridicule-the-critics-as/) [Manny Farber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-farber/) > [We need to take a leaf out of natures book. Any species that clones itself will eventually be attacked by a parasite, leading to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-suarez/we-need-to-take-a-leaf-out-of-natures-book-any-species-that-clones/) [Daniel Suarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-suarez/) > [ If \[people\] place such things as friendship and family ties above their own productive work, yes, then they are immoral. Friendship, family life and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/if-people-place-such-things-as-friendship-and-family-ties-above-their/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [The word relationship best refers to the connection between parasite and host, or shark and remora. It's a biological term. I'd rather be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-shoales/the-word-relationship-best-refers-to-the-connection-between-parasite/) [Ian Shoales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-shoales/) > [I'm necessarily parasitic in a way. I have done well as a parasite. But I'm still a parasite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/i-m-necessarily-parasitic-in-a-way-i-have-done-well-as-a-parasite-but/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) ## More by Ryan Winfield > [“Mistakes can be very beautiful. Mistakes lead to surprises. Even joy. And joy makes life worth living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-winfield/mistakes-can-be-very-beautiful-mistakes-lead-to-surprises-even-joy/) [Ryan Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-winfield/) > [“You know why God’s so hard to find, Trevor? No, Mr. Shaw, I say, why is God so hard to find? God’s so hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-winfield/you-know-why-god-s-so-hard-to-find-trevor-no-mr-shaw-i-say-why-is-god/) [Ryan Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-winfield/) > [“She was right where she wanted to be. Right here. Right now. Forever. With him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-winfield/she-was-right-where-she-wanted-to-be-right-here-right-now-forever/) [Ryan Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-winfield/) > [“I love you.” The words come out almost in a panic, as if there’s no time. As if he’s about to walk into Eden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-winfield/i-love-you-the-words-come-out-almost-in-a-panic-as-if-there-s-no-time/) [Ryan Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-winfield/) > [“Don’t you let fear have a place in your life, J. Not even a tiny place. Get rid of it from every hidden corner.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-winfield/don-t-you-let-fear-have-a-place-in-your-life-j-not-even-a-tiny-place/) [Ryan Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-winfield/) > [“You know what ‘fine’ stands for, don’t you?” When Jane didn’t respond, Grace answered for her. “It stands for Fucked up, Insecure, Neurotic, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-winfield/you-know-what-fine-stands-for-don-t-you-when-jane-didn-t-respond/) [Ryan Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-winfield/) > [“Caterpillar dun' become butterfly-caterpillar die so butterfly can be. A new thing. We all must let ourselves die to be what we will be.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-winfield/caterpillar-dun-become-butterfly-caterpillar-die-so-butterfly-can-be/) [Ryan Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-winfield/) > [“Sometimes a gift too good to be true, can turn out to be too true to be good..”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-winfield/sometimes-a-gift-too-good-to-be-true-can-turn-out-to-be-too-true-to/) [Ryan Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-winfield/) > [“You can say no if you dun’ wanna do it,” he finally says, “but I was thinkin’ maybe you could teach me to read.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-winfield/you-can-say-no-if-you-dun-wanna-do-it-he-finally-says-but-i-was/) [Ryan Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-winfield/) > [“Subterrenes and Strange Dreams”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-winfield/subterrenes-and-strange-dreams/) [Ryan Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-winfield/) > [Perhaps not all spirits are meant for this world, but they pass through anyway and change for the better those which are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-winfield/perhaps-not-all-spirits-are-meant-for-this-world-but-they-pass/) [Ryan Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-winfield/) > [“Hey, Jimmy.” “Yeah.” “You ever think about how long we’re going to live?” “No,” he says. “Not really.” “Well, why not?” “I dunno. Guess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-winfield/hey-jimmy-yeah-you-ever-think-about-how-long-we-re-going-to-live-no/) [Ryan Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-winfield/) > [“I forgive him and like water draining from the sand after a wave, the power he held over me disappears. A slow smile rises…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-winfield/i-forgive-him-and-like-water-draining-from-the-sand-after-a-wave-the/) [Ryan Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-winfield/) > [“When a child starts doing what’s right even though they don’t want to, that’s when he or she becomes an adult.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-winfield/when-a-child-starts-doing-what-s-right-even-though-they-don-t-want-to/) [Ryan Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-winfield/) > [Death is just the moment that your hourglass runs out of sand. That's it. It happens to everyone eventually. All any of us gets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-winfield/death-is-just-the-moment-that-your-hourglass-runs-out-of-sand-that-s/) [Ryan Winfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-winfield/) [Explore all 32 Ryan Winfield quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-winfield/) ## More Humankind quotes > [“If attempting to make the world a civilized one, makes you a bad woman in the eyes of the dumb patriarchal society, then, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/if-attempting-to-make-the-world-a-civilized-one-makes-you-a-bad-woman/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Some people are like ants. Give them a warm day and a piece of ground and they start digging. There the similarity ends. Ants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-borland/some-people-are-like-ants-give-them-a-warm-day-and-a-piece-of-ground/) [Hal Borland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-borland/) > [“We shall be inhuman - as humankind's greatest conquest. To be is to be beyond the human. To be a human being doesn't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarice-lispector/we-shall-be-inhuman-as-humankind-s-greatest-conquest-to-be-is-to-be/) [Clarice Lispector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarice-lispector/) > [We were all children once. And we all share the desire for the well-being of our children, which has always been and will continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/we-were-all-children-once-and-we-all-share-the-desire-for-the-well/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [“The representation of women in the society, especially through mass media has been the most delusional act ever done on the grounds of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/the-representation-of-women-in-the-society-especially-through-mass/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [The only way to stave off boredom, in a complex domesticated primate like humankind, is to increase one's intelligence. This is not appealing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/the-only-way-to-stave-off-boredom-in-a-complex-domesticated-primate/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [There's nothing I believe in more strongly than getting young people interested in science and engineering, for a better tomorrow, for all humankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nye/there-s-nothing-i-believe-in-more-strongly-than-getting-young-people/) [Bill Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nye/) > [I firmly believe that the mission of religion in the 21st century must be to contribute concretely to the peaceful coexistence of humankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/i-firmly-believe-that-the-mission-of-religion-in-the-21st-century/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [“Humankind has not learned about balance, let alone practiced it. It is guided by greed and ambition, steered by fear. In this way it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-l-weiss/humankind-has-not-learned-about-balance-let-alone-practiced-it-it-is/) [Brian L. Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-l-weiss/) > [“If you are HUMAN, then the limit of what you can do, what you learn, what you can experience HAS NOT YET BEEN REACHED.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silvia-hartmann/if-you-are-human-then-the-limit-of-what-you-can-do-what-you-learn/) [Silvia Hartmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silvia-hartmann/) > [ \[Margot Hentoff\] thinks - first of all, she - this I hear from a lot of people beside her. She thinks that men have… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-hentoff/margot-hentoff-thinks-first-of-all-she-this-i-hear-from-a-lot-of/) [Nat Hentoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-hentoff/) > [“There is only One Human race; Humankind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/there-is-only-one-human-race-humankind/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [When we have all data online it will be great for humanity. It is a prerequisite to solving many problems that humankind faces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cailliau/when-we-have-all-data-online-it-will-be-great-for-humanity-it-is-a/) [Robert Cailliau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cailliau/) > [We all dream; it is a mystery in which all humankind participates. I realize this is an assumption, but it is one that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-d-chumbley/we-all-dream-it-is-a-mystery-in-which-all-humankind-participates-i/) Andrew D. Chumbley > [The race of humankind would perish did they cease to aid each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/the-race-of-humankind-would-perish-did-they-cease-to-aid-each-other/) [Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/) [Browse all 736 Humankind quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humankind/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Yes, the worst parasites. We reproduce with no internal limitations. We consume and destroy and make war. We have no predator except ourselves, and left unchecked we destroy ourselves every time. And we destroy the planet along with us. Humankind is the thing that must be contained. Man must be checked. 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