--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: . . . it is difficult for Europeans to…" description: "\". . . it is difficult for Europeans to appreciate the sentiment. Other nations kill animals by wholesale and kill one another; they exist in a sea of b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dd/swami-vivekananda-53_ancestor_it-is-difficult-for-europeans-to-appreci_1116501.jpg" --- # . . . it is difficult for Europeans to appreciate the… ![“. . . it is difficult for Europeans to appreciate the sentiment. Other nations kill animals by wholesale and kill one another; they exist in a sea of blood. A European said that the reason why in India animals were not killed was because it was supposed that they contained the spirits of…” quote by Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dd/swami-vivekananda-53_ancestor_it-is-difficult-for-europeans-to-appreci_1116501.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dd/swami-vivekananda-53_ancestor_it-is-difficult-for-europeans-to-appreci_1116501.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4dd/swami-vivekananda-53_ancestor_it-is-difficult-for-europeans-to-appreci_1116501.jpg) > “. . . it is difficult for Europeans to appreciate the sentiment. Other nations kill animals by wholesale and kill one another; they exist in a sea of blood. A European said that the reason why in India animals were not killed was because it was supposed that they contained the spirits of ancestors. This reason was worthy of a savage nation who are not many steps from the brute.” [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Different cultures view animal life and ancestor spirits uniquely, reflecting varied moral frameworks. **In simple terms:** Cultural differences shape views on animals and ancestors. Key Takeaway Respect diverse moral perspectives. Themes culture ethics animal rights spirituality relativism Mood thoughtful critical inquisitive Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - global travel - ethical debates - environmental policy - intercultural dialogue Key Concepts moral relativism cultural anthropology spiritual beliefs Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions do you hold about other cultures? - How can empathy bridge moral differences? A Different Perspective General judgments can overlook nuanced traditions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ancestor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancestor/) [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Animal - rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal-rights/) [Animals Killed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals-killed-1356804/) [Appreciate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appreciate/) [Blood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blood/) [Brutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brutes/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Europeans Appreciate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europeans-appreciate-2999770/) [India](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/india/) [India Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/india-animals-2999769/) [Kill Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kill-animals-749914/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Nations Kill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations-kill-2999768/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Reason why](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason-why/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Savages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/savages/) [Sea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sea/) [Sentiments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sentiments/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Steps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steps/) [Wholesale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wholesale/) [Worthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worthy/) ## Related quotes > [I'd go to work early, before anyone got there, and I would just kill the animals myself...I must have killed a thousand of them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ingrid-newkirk/i-d-go-to-work-early-before-anyone-got-there-and-i-would-just-kill/) [Ingrid Newkirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ingrid-newkirk/) > [“It was an old hunter in camp and the hunter shared tobacco with him and told him of the buffalo and the stands he'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/it-was-an-old-hunter-in-camp-and-the-hunter-shared-tobacco-with-him-2/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [In most of the world, it is accepted that if animals are to be killed for food, they should be killed without suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/in-most-of-the-world-it-is-accepted-that-if-animals-are-to-be-killed/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [“What if there were labeling on our food letting us know how many animals were killed to bring our desired animal to our plate?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnathan-safran-foer/what-if-there-were-labeling-on-our-food-letting-us-know-how-many/) [Johnathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnathan-safran-foer/) > [“In another place, their sons were killed between the barbs of their own guard wire, killed with misfired bombs while squirming in the mire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/in-another-place-their-sons-were-killed-between-the-barbs-of-their/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [...In little more than a single century from 1820 to 19450, no less than fifty-nine million human animals were killed in inter-group clashes of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-morris/in-little-more-than-a-single-century-from-1820-to-19450-no-less-than/) [Desmond Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-morris/) > [Of course, animals have to be killed for food or to prevent their doing injury to others or to property. But such killing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-baden-powell/of-course-animals-have-to-be-killed-for-food-or-to-prevent-their/) [Robert Baden-Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-baden-powell/) > [“It was an old hunter in camp and the hunter shared tobacco with him and told him of the buffalo and the stands he’d…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/it-was-an-old-hunter-in-camp-and-the-hunter-shared-tobacco-with-him/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [People may hope that the meat they buy came from an animal who died without pain, but they do not really want to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/people-may-hope-that-the-meat-they-buy-came-from-an-animal-who-died/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [“The earth. Smog, murder, the poisoned air, the poisoned water, the poisoned food, the hatred, the hopelessness, everything. The only beautiful thing about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/the-earth-smog-murder-the-poisoned-air-the-poisoned-water-the/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [In Africa, we have the bush meat trade, which means that, on a very large scale, animals are being killed in the forests and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frans-de-waal/in-africa-we-have-the-bush-meat-trade-which-means-that-on-a-very/) [Frans de Waal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frans-de-waal/) > [I hate the thought of animals being killed just for our pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leona-lewis/i-hate-the-thought-of-animals-being-killed-just-for-our-pleasure/) [Leona Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leona-lewis/) > [The consumption of animals - whether you're wearing them or eating them - is extraordinarily damaging to the planet. There are over a billion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-mccartney/the-consumption-of-animals-whether-you-re-wearing-them-or-eating-them/) [Stella McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-mccartney/) > [“We generally accept that it's natural for carnivorous wild animals to kill other animals in order to live. But people don't often think (or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-bekoff/we-generally-accept-that-it-s-natural-for-carnivorous-wild-animals-to/) [Marc Bekoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-bekoff/) > [Animals aren't property, and the law generally finds it acceptable to use and kill animals for human gain, imposing prison terms and steep fines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-laws/animals-aren-t-property-and-the-law-generally-finds-it-acceptable-to/) [Charlotte Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-laws/) ## More by Swami Vivekananda > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Holiness sincerity, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/holiness-sincerity-and-faith/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [The Hindus have a peculiar slovenliness in business matters, not being sufficiently methodical and strict in keeping accounts etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-hindus-have-a-peculiar-slovenliness-in-business-matters-not-being/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Renunciation is in our blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/renunciation-is-in-our-blood/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Let positive, strong, helpful thoughts enter into your brains from very childhood. Lay yourselves open to these thoughts, and not to weakening and paralysing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/let-positive-strong-helpful-thoughts-enter-into-your-brains-from-very/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Where can we go to find God if we cannot see Him in our own hearts and in every living being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/where-can-we-go-to-find-god-if-we-cannot-see-him-in-our-own-hearts/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [It is the free alone which never changes, and the unchangeable alone which is free; for change is produced by something exterior to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/it-is-the-free-alone-which-never-changes-and-the-unchangeable-alone/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Above all, India is the land of religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/above-all-india-is-the-land-of-religion/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [The awakening of the soul to its bondage and its effort to stand up and assert itself - this is called life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-awakening-of-the-soul-to-its-bondage-and-its-effort-to-stand-up/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [It is the Prana that is manifesting as motion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/it-is-the-prana-that-is-manifesting-as-motion/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Though an atom is invisible, unthinkable, yet in it are the whole power and potency of the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/though-an-atom-is-invisible-unthinkable-yet-in-it-are-the-whole-power/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Nothing can be produced without a cause, and the effect is but the cause reproduced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/nothing-can-be-produced-without-a-cause-and-the-effect-is-but-the/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [All the strength and succour you want is within yourselves. 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Your mind, my mind, all these little minds, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/there-is-a-continuity-of-mind-as-the-yogis-call-it-the-mind-is/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) [Explore all 1,889 Swami Vivekananda quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) ## More Ancestor quotes > [A lot of indigenous cultures are deeply involved in working with ancestor spirits, elemental spirits, and demons. Many of these cultures feel that, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-pinchbeck/a-lot-of-indigenous-cultures-are-deeply-involved-in-working-with/) [Daniel Pinchbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-pinchbeck/) > [Food binds us to our roots as strongly as any song or poem. Many of us have learned more about our ancestors in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-thomas/food-binds-us-to-our-roots-as-strongly-as-any-song-or-poem-many-of-us/) [Anna Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-thomas/) > [Whereas our ancestors (not of choice) were the first successful cultivators of the wilds of America, we their descendants feel ourselves entitled to participate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-allen/whereas-our-ancestors-not-of-choice-were-the-first-successful/) [Richard Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-allen/) > [Going where no man has gone before is more difficult than it sounds. Our cousins and ancestors were no less curious than we are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/going-where-no-man-has-gone-before-is-more-difficult-than-it-sounds/) [N.D. 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If we just fold our arms and yield… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/empress-dowager-cixi/now-they-the-powers-have-started-the-aggression-and-the-extinction-of/) [Empress Dowager Cixi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/empress-dowager-cixi/) > [A solitary American monk named Thomas Berry writes that in our relationship to nature, we have been autistic for centuries. Wrapped tightly in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janine-benyus/a-solitary-american-monk-named-thomas-berry-writes-that-in-our/) [Janine Benyus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janine-benyus/) [Browse all 767 Ancestor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancestor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": ". . . it is difficult for Europeans to appreciate the sentiment. Other nations kill animals by wholesale and kill one another; they exist in a sea of blood. 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