--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People like terra firma, and they should…" description: "\"People like terra firma, and they should be allowed to walk where they wish.\" — Stephen Gardiner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/025/stephen-gardiner-13496_people_people-like-terra-firma-and-they-should_2148303.png" --- # People like terra firma, and they should be allowed to… ![“People like terra firma, and they should be allowed to walk where they wish.” quote by Stephen Gardiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/025/stephen-gardiner-13496_people_people-like-terra-firma-and-they-should_2148303.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/025/stephen-gardiner-13496_people_people-like-terra-firma-and-they-should_2148303.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/025/stephen-gardiner-13496_people_people-like-terra-firma-and-they-should_2148303.png) > “People like terra firma, and they should be allowed to walk where they wish.” [Stephen Gardiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-gardiner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People desire stable ground and the freedom to move as they wish. **In simple terms:** People want stable ground and freedom to move. Key Takeaway Respect others' right to choose their path. Themes freedom stability rights Mood reflective serious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - urban planning - migration policy - public spaces - personal travel Key Concepts social contract personal autonomy Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance personal freedom with communal order? - What defines "terra firma" for different groups? A Different Perspective May conflict arise when individual paths intersect. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) ## Related quotes > [I like terra firma; the more firma, the less terra.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-kaufman/i-like-terra-firma-the-more-firma-the-less-terra/) [George S. Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-kaufman/) > [When I walk alone, I wish I could reach the end of the road soon. But, when a FRIEND walks with me, I wish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-walk-alone-i-wish-i-could-reach-the-end-of-the-road-soon-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I’m not allowed to walk topside, nor can I walk below deck. What could possibly be left for me to do? Oh, I know.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kinley-macgregor/i-m-not-allowed-to-walk-topside-nor-can-i-walk-below-deck-what-could/) [Kinley MacGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kinley-macgregor/) > [“It was America, after all. The sort of place where you should be allowed to walk as high as you wanted. But what if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colum-mccann/it-was-america-after-all-the-sort-of-place-where-you-should-be/) [Colum McCann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colum-mccann/) > [“You don’t walk upon flowers in fact; you cannot be allowed to walk upon flowers in carpets.  You don’t find that foreign birds and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-don-t-walk-upon-flowers-in-fact-you-cannot-be-allowed-to-walk/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There are some people who should not be allowed on the road. Maybe they shouldn't even be allowed to walk anywhere, either. Maybe we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/there-are-some-people-who-should-not-be-allowed-on-the-road-maybe/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“We are a mediating influence between terra firma and the cosmos, born to receive and diffuse aromatic molecules.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daphne-miller/we-are-a-mediating-influence-between-terra-firma-and-the-cosmos-born/) Daphne Miller > [This planet is not terra firma. It is a delicate flower and it must be cared for. It's lonely. It's small. It's isolated, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-carpenter/this-planet-is-not-terra-firma-it-is-a-delicate-flower-and-it-must-be-2/) [Scott Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-carpenter/) > [This planet is not terra firma. It is a delicate flower and it must be cared for. It's lonely. It's small. It's isolated, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-carpenter/this-planet-is-not-terra-firma-it-is-a-delicate-flower-and-it-must-be/) [Scott Carpenter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-carpenter/) > [I stay on terra firma: the more firm, the less terror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-widdecombe/i-stay-on-terra-firma-the-more-firm-the-less-terror/) [Ann Widdecombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-widdecombe/) > [“Our landscapes are marked by the presence of grand trees. And what are trees, but love stories written by terra firma in praise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-anzalone/our-landscapes-are-marked-by-the-presence-of-grand-trees-and-what-are/) [Marie Anzalone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-anzalone/) > [“But the truly brilliant geocachers?" "Yeah?" he says. "What about us?" "They know it by its real name. Terra Firma." "Terra Firma," he repeats.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/but-the-truly-brilliant-geocachers-yeah-he-says-what-about-us-they/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“Wish in one hand, shit in the other, see which one fills up faster.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noelle-oxenhandler/wish-in-one-hand-shit-in-the-other-see-which-one-fills-up-faster/) Noelle Oxenhandler > [I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/i-do-wish-you-wouldn-t-argue-with-me-when-i-m-knitting/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) ## More by Stephen Gardiner > [The further forward we go, the further back we have to explore in order to go forward again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-gardiner/the-further-forward-we-go-the-further-back-we-have-to-explore-in/) [Stephen Gardiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-gardiner/) > [The chief concern of the French Impressionists was the discovery of balance between light and dark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-gardiner/the-chief-concern-of-the-french-impressionists-was-the-discovery-of/) [Stephen Gardiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-gardiner/) > [It is thought that the changeover from hunter to farmer was a slow, gradual process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-gardiner/it-is-thought-that-the-changeover-from-hunter-to-farmer-was-a-slow/) [Stephen Gardiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-gardiner/) > [The center of Western culture is Greece, and we have never lost our ties with the architectural concepts of that ancient civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-gardiner/the-center-of-western-culture-is-greece-and-we-have-never-lost-our/) [Stephen Gardiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-gardiner/) > [The corridor is hardly ever found in small houses, apart from the verandah, which also serves as a corridor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-gardiner/the-corridor-is-hardly-ever-found-in-small-houses-apart-from-the/) [Stephen Gardiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-gardiner/) > [Victorian architecture in the United States was copied straight from England.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-gardiner/victorian-architecture-in-the-united-states-was-copied-straight-from/) [Stephen Gardiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-gardiner/) > [The interior of the house personifies the private world; the exterior of it is part of the outside world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-gardiner/the-interior-of-the-house-personifies-the-private-world-the-exterior/) [Stephen Gardiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-gardiner/) > [The garden, by design, is concerned with both the interior and the land beyond the garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-gardiner/the-garden-by-design-is-concerned-with-both-the-interior-and-the-land/) [Stephen Gardiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-gardiner/) > [In the crowded and difficult conditions of a steep hillside, houses have had to struggle to establish their territory and to survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-gardiner/in-the-crowded-and-difficult-conditions-of-a-steep-hillside-houses/) [Stephen Gardiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-gardiner/) > [The largest and most influential houses chiefly demonstrate the aloofness of the French approach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-gardiner/the-largest-and-most-influential-houses-chiefly-demonstrate-the/) [Stephen Gardiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-gardiner/) > [Human requirements are the inspiration for art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-gardiner/human-requirements-are-the-inspiration-for-art/) [Stephen Gardiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-gardiner/) > [What people want, above all, is order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-gardiner/what-people-want-above-all-is-order/) [Stephen Gardiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-gardiner/) > [The logic of Palladian architecture presented an aesthetic formula which could be applied universally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-gardiner/the-logic-of-palladian-architecture-presented-an-aesthetic-formula/) [Stephen Gardiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-gardiner/) > [Up until the War of the Roses there had been continual conflict in England.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-gardiner/up-until-the-war-of-the-roses-there-had-been-continual-conflict-in/) [Stephen Gardiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-gardiner/) > [Newton, for instance, attempted to comprehend the diversities of the universe with a single system of mathematical laws, the objectivity, sobriety and logic of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-gardiner/newton-for-instance-attempted-to-comprehend-the-diversities-of-the/) [Stephen Gardiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-gardiner/) [Explore all 50 Stephen Gardiner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-gardiner/) ## More People quotes > [If I am going to be phased out by whatever powers, then I want people to know that it is not because I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parvathy/if-i-am-going-to-be-phased-out-by-whatever-powers-then-i-want-people/) [Parvathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parvathy/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [I feel like I definitely have a real sporty style, more so than a lot of people in G.O.O.D. Music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/i-feel-like-i-definitely-have-a-real-sporty-style-more-so-than-a-lot/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [I feel like the future is unwritten. So many of the things that we write now haven't been about educating people on the environment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/i-feel-like-the-future-is-unwritten-so-many-of-the-things-that-we/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [The only people who think the Internet is a calamity are people whose lives have been hurt by it; the only people who insist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/the-only-people-who-think-the-internet-is-a-calamity-are-people-whose/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [Crony capitalism is essentially a condition in which... public officials are giving favours to people in the private sector in payment of political favours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/crony-capitalism-is-essentially-a-condition-in-which-public-officials/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [For us who are now in power, we need to be challenged to serve the people and ignore our own egos and personal interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangari-maathai/for-us-who-are-now-in-power-we-need-to-be-challenged-to-serve-the/) [Wangari Maathai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangari-maathai/) > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [By eating many fruits and vegetables in place of fast food and junk food, people could avoid obesity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-murdock/by-eating-many-fruits-and-vegetables-in-place-of-fast-food-and-junk/) [David H. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-murdock/) > [Some people give you that motivation to work harder simply to get the hell away from wherever they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/some-people-give-you-that-motivation-to-work-harder-simply-to-get-the/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they're wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-morrison/pain-is-meant-to-wake-us-up-people-try-to-hide-their-pain-but-they-re/) [Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-morrison/) [Browse all 211,607 People quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People like terra firma, and they should be allowed to walk where they wish.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen Gardiner" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-gardiner/people-like-terra-firma-and-they-should-be-allowed-to-walk-where-they/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "People" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-gardiner/people-like-terra-firma-and-they-should-be-allowed-to-walk-where-they/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/025/stephen-gardiner-13496_people_people-like-terra-firma-and-they-should_2148303.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/025/stephen-gardiner-13496_people_people-like-terra-firma-and-they-should_2148303.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/025/stephen-gardiner-13496_people_people-like-terra-firma-and-they-should_2148303.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People like terra firma, and they should be allowed to walk where they wish.” — Stephen Gardiner", "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": "Stephen Gardiner", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-gardiner/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "People like terra firma, and they...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-gardiner/people-like-terra-firma-and-they-should-be-allowed-to-walk-where-they/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-gardiner/people-like-terra-firma-and-they-should-be-allowed-to-walk-where-they/#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 } } ] } ```