--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Now is not the time to shrink from the…" description: "\"Now is not the time to shrink from the challenge of saving our only home in the universe. Now is not the time to pull into ourselves, retreating into e..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c26/van-jones-984_arms_now-is-not-the-time-to-shrink-from-the-c_1568541.jpg" --- # Now is not the time to shrink from the challenge of saving… ![“Now is not the time to shrink from the challenge of saving our only home in the universe. Now is not the time to pull into ourselves, retreating into either survivalist or escapist mode. To the contrary, this is the time for titans, not turtles. Now is the time to open our arms, expand our…” quote by Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c26/van-jones-984_arms_now-is-not-the-time-to-shrink-from-the-c_1568541.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c26/van-jones-984_arms_now-is-not-the-time-to-shrink-from-the-c_1568541.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c26/van-jones-984_arms_now-is-not-the-time-to-shrink-from-the-c_1568541.jpg) > “Now is not the time to shrink from the challenge of saving our only home in the universe. Now is not the time to pull into ourselves, retreating into either survivalist or escapist mode. To the contrary, this is the time for titans, not turtles. Now is the time to open our arms, expand our horizons, and dream big. Big problems require big solutions.” [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Urgent call to confront climate crisis with bold, collective action rather than retreat. **In simple terms:** Act now, think big against climate change. Key Takeaway Embrace expansive solutions. Themes environment activism leadership optimism collective\_action Mood determined inspired urgent Type motivational call\_to\_action When to use this quote - policy\_making - community\_organizing - innovation - education - personal\_responsibility Key Concepts climate\_urgency systems\_thinking heroic\_mindset Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance ambition with feasibility? - What small steps support big climate solutions? A Different Perspective Bold actions may overlook practical constraints and resource limits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arms/) [Big problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-problem/) [Big problems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-problems/) [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Climate change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate-change/) [Contrary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contrary/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dream big](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream-big/) [Escapists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/escapists/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Horizon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horizon/) [Now Is The Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/now-is-the-time/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Saving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saving/) [Saving Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saving-home-5898715/) [Shrinks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shrinks/) [Solutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solutions/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Shrink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-shrink-5898717/) [Time Titans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-titans-5898716/) [Titans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/titans/) [Titans Turtles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/titans-turtles-5898718/) [Turtles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turtles/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) ## Related quotes > [There are large numbers of people in India below the poverty line, there are large numbers of people who lead a meager existence. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amitabh-bachchan/there-are-large-numbers-of-people-in-india-below-the-poverty-line/) [Amitabh Bachchan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amitabh-bachchan/) > [Nearly all the Escapists in the long past have managed their own budget and their social relations so unsuccessfully that I wouldn't want them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/nearly-all-the-escapists-in-the-long-past-have-managed-their-own/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [Latin America can no longer tolerate being a haven for United States liberals who cannot make their point at home, an outlet for apostles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-illich/latin-america-can-no-longer-tolerate-being-a-haven-for-united-states/) [Ivan Illich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-illich/) > [Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/fantasy-is-escapist-and-that-is-its-glory/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [I like to watch MTV for escapist pleasure, but when I saw Snooki, I saw my twin. I couldn't lose myself in the show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hathaway/i-like-to-watch-mtv-for-escapist-pleasure-but-when-i-saw-snooki-i-saw/) [Anne Hathaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hathaway/) > [My music is homegrown from the garden of New Orleans. Music is everything to me short of breathing. Music also has a role to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-toussaint/my-music-is-homegrown-from-the-garden-of-new-orleans-music-is/) [Allen Toussaint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-toussaint/) > [It seems to me that making escapist films might be a better service to people than making intellectual ones and making films that deal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/it-seems-to-me-that-making-escapist-films-might-be-a-better-service/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [Most people who are on the road are pretty damaged. It's an escapist's life. It's not a life that forces you to look in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-rossdale/most-people-who-are-on-the-road-are-pretty-damaged-it-s-an-escapist-s/) [Gavin Rossdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-rossdale/) > [My mom said I was an escapist at heart… that I preferred imaginary worlds to the real one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-plum/my-mom-said-i-was-an-escapist-at-heart-that-i-preferred-imaginary/) [Amy Plum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-plum/) > [I stand, limited primitive, sentimentalist, escapist The way I shape this landscape, automatically makes this, vivid I give it a rivet, hold it, stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aceyalone/i-stand-limited-primitive-sentimentalist-escapist-the-way-i-shape/) [Aceyalone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aceyalone/) > [I like big escapist films. It's odd because the type of comedian I am and the things I do when I'm writing and directing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-like-big-escapist-films-it-s-odd-because-the-type-of-comedian-i-am/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [All in all, I think that out of all musical genres, the world of metal is the most escapist one. Metal is also music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tuomas-holopainen/all-in-all-i-think-that-out-of-all-musical-genres-the-world-of-metal/) [Tuomas Holopainen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tuomas-holopainen/) > [I would like to mention some preparations that were required of me. The first preparation is to take a right attitude toward life. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peace-pilgrim/i-would-like-to-mention-some-preparations-that-were-required-of-me/) [Peace Pilgrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peace-pilgrim/) > [Escape into the dream. Escape, a key thing charged against these drugs, that they are for escapists. I think the people who make this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/escape-into-the-dream-escape-a-key-thing-charged-against-these-drugs/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [It just seems like the most successful, iconic love stories are not so easy or escapist. I think the ones that stay with us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-danes/it-just-seems-like-the-most-successful-iconic-love-stories-are-not-so/) [Claire Danes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-danes/) ## More by Van Jones > [Right now, the government is spending billions of dollars supporting the problem-makers in the U.S. economy - the polluters, despoilers, incarcerators, and warmongers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/right-now-the-government-is-spending-billions-of-dollars-supporting/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [ If \[Donald\] Trump throws 20 million off of health care, that's going to be - if he handles this badly - and it's very… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/if-donald-trump-throws-20-million-off-of-health-care-that-s-going-to/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [America should be leading the world in green and clean solutions, and human rights. We shouldn't be leading the world in wars and incarceration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/america-should-be-leading-the-world-in-green-and-clean-solutions-and/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [ I learned more in those six months \[ in the White House\] than in the prior six years. I don't think that anybody who… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/i-learned-more-in-those-six-months-in-the-white-house-than-in-the/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [Most green-collar jobs are middle-skill jobs. That means they require more education that a high-school diploma, but less than a four-year degree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/most-green-collar-jobs-are-middle-skill-jobs-that-means-they-require/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [The problem that we have is that most Americans don't even study American history, let alone Pinochet, Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin and all these guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/the-problem-that-we-have-is-that-most-americans-don-t-even-study/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [ \[Donald Trump\] is a horrible human being, but he ain't worse than Bull Connor. Fannie Lou loved Bull Connor and beat Bull Connor because… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/donald-trump-is-a-horrible-human-being-but-he-ain-t-worse-than-bull/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [The government built the grid to favor one industry over others. But I don't hear any conservatives screaming about that. Folks don't understand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/the-government-built-the-grid-to-favor-one-industry-over-others-but-i/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [Keith Ellison is an organizer's organizer.He's one of the only Muslims in Congress, so you have a big statement there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/keith-ellison-is-an-organizer-s-organizer-he-s-one-of-the-only/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [Everybody should be mad but anger only takes you so far. At some point, you'll have outrage fatigue and burn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/everybody-should-be-mad-but-anger-only-takes-you-so-far-at-some-point/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [We have to accept that some very toxic stuff was marbled into the Trump phenomenon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/we-have-to-accept-that-some-very-toxic-stuff-was-marbled-into-the/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [All the big ideas for getting us onto a lower carbon trajectory involve a lot of people doing a lot of work, and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/all-the-big-ideas-for-getting-us-onto-a-lower-carbon-trajectory/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [I'm the guy that's trying to break up that monopoly to introduce free enterprise and competition to the energy sector.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/i-m-the-guy-that-s-trying-to-break-up-that-monopoly-to-introduce-free/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [I think that America could not become America until it dealt with the disenfranchisement of women and African Americans in the last century. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/i-think-that-america-could-not-become-america-until-it-dealt-with-the/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [I'm learning and changing all the time, and I expect to continue doing so my entire life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/i-m-learning-and-changing-all-the-time-and-i-expect-to-continue-doing/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) [Explore all 314 Van Jones quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) ## More Arms quotes > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) [Brian Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-reade/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Are we fighting?" I asked Morelli. "No. Were discussing." "Are you sure?" "Am I yelling?" Morelli asked. "Is my face purple? Are the cords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/are-we-fighting-i-asked-morelli-no-were-discussing-are-you-sure-am-i/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [A home isn't just a roof over our heads. A home is a place where we feel loved and where we love others. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-home-isn-t-just-a-roof-over-our-heads-a-home-is-a-place-where-we/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Comerado, this is no book,Who touches this, touches a man,(Is it night? Are we here alone?)It is I you hold, and who holds you,I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/comerado-this-is-no-book-who-touches-this-touches-a-man-is-it-night/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Even the stove and the refrigerator looked human, I mean good human - they seemed to have arms and voices and they said, hang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/even-the-stove-and-the-refrigerator-looked-human-i-mean-good-human/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I separated the joints, the arm joints, the leg joints, and had to do two boilings. 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Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [How shall freedom be defended? By arms when it is attacked by arms, by truth when it is attacked by lies, by faith when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-macleish/how-shall-freedom-be-defended-by-arms-when-it-is-attacked-by-arms-by/) [Archibald MacLeish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-macleish/) > [You don't have to say it out loud. I already know why you like me.' 'You do, huh?' 'Yep.' He wrapped his arms around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-don-t-have-to-say-it-out-loud-i-already-know-why-you-like-me-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Another step had her backed up against the wall, and he braced his arms on both sides of her. "I'm beginning to look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-lindsey/another-step-had-her-backed-up-against-the-wall-and-he-braced-his/) [Johanna Lindsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-lindsey/) [Browse all 4,470 Arms quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arms/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Now is not the time to shrink from the challenge of saving our only home in the universe. Now is not the time to pull into ourselves, retreating into either survivalist or escapist mode. To the contrary, this is the time for titans, not turtles. Now is the time to open our arms, expand our horizons, and dream big. 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