Becoming Quote by Daniel Quinn
“[T]he price you've paid is not the price of becoming human. It's not even the price of having the things you just mentioned. It's the price of enacting a story that casts mankind as the enemy of the world.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Ishmael by Daniel Quinn, 1992
The cost of truly becoming human lies not in material loss but in confronting narratives that pit humanity against nature.
In simple terms: Being human means challenging stories that make us enemies of the world.
Question and change the narratives that separate us from nature.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- activism
- education
- policy making
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What narratives do you accept that separate you from nature?
- How can you rewrite your personal story to align with the world?
The quote may overlook individual agency in reshaping stories.