Bears Quote by W. S. Merwin
“If you can't bear what's happening to the natural world, if you can't bear the way we treat each other; if you can't bear wars, you just can't bear the whole idea of war, which is possibly unavoidable. But still, you resist it. Because you just hate our treating each other that way and causing that suffering.”
About This Quote
Source Poem: The World Is Too Much With Us (or similar) by W. S. Merwin, 1970s
The poet laments humanity's inability to accept suffering and war, yet acknowledges a persistent resistance driven by moral revulsion.
In simple terms: We resist war because we hate suffering.
Key Takeaway
Channel moral outrage into constructive action.
Themes
war
suffering
morality
resistance
Mood
determined
hopeful
Type
ethical
activist
When to use this quote
- activism
- peacebuilding
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
ethics
environmentalism
humanism
Questions to Reflect On
- What actions can transform hatred of war into peace?
- How do you sustain hope amid global crises?
A Different Perspective
Resistance may feel futile without tangible change.
![“The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the formulas of nations at war, where any heinousness is justified on the grounds that the enemy is either an inferior [part of the] species or…” quote by Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/895/kate-millett-7301_accompany_the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imp_8896.jpg)
