--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In order to survive, a plurality of true…" description: "\"“In order to survive, a plurality of true communities would require not egalitarianism and tolerance but knowledge, an understanding of the necessity o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07a/wendell-berry-236_community_in-order-to-survive-a-plurality-of-true_2675424.jpg" --- # In order to survive, a plurality of true communities would… ![“In order to survive, a plurality of true communities would require not egalitarianism and tolerance but knowledge, an understanding of the necessity of local differences, and respect. Respect, I think, always implies imagination - the ability to see one another, across our inevitable differences…” quote by Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07a/wendell-berry-236_community_in-order-to-survive-a-plurality-of-true_2675424.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07a/wendell-berry-236_community_in-order-to-survive-a-plurality-of-true_2675424.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07a/wendell-berry-236_community_in-order-to-survive-a-plurality-of-true_2675424.jpg) > ““In order to survive, a plurality of true communities would require not egalitarianism and tolerance but knowledge, an understanding of the necessity of local differences, and respect. Respect, I think, always implies imagination - the ability to see one another, across our inevitable differences, as living souls. (pg. 181, Sex, Economy, Freedom, and Community)”” [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True communities thrive on knowledge, local differences, and imaginative respect, not just equality. **In simple terms:** Respect requires understanding and imagination. Key Takeaway Cultivate local knowledge and empathy. Themes community respect knowledge Mood hopeful inspirational Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - neighborhood planning - cultural exchange - policy making Key Concepts social ecology pluralism Questions to Reflect On - How can you practice imaginative respect? - What local differences do you overlook? A Different Perspective Imagination can be limited by bias. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communities Require](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communities-require-2537873/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Differences Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/differences-respect-2537870/) [Egalitarianism Tolerance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/egalitarianism-tolerance-2537871/) [Equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Require Egalitarianism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/require-egalitarianism-2537869/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Survive Plurality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survive-plurality-2537872/) ## Related quotes > [In order to survive, a plurality of true communities would require not egalitarianism and tolerance but knowledge, an understanding of the necessity of local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/in-order-to-survive-a-plurality-of-true-communities-would-require-not/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [I grew up with a sense of tolerance. 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