--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don’t believe tree-huggers who claim that…" description: "\"“Don’t believe tree-huggers who claim that our ancestors lived in harmony with nature. Long before the Industrial Revolution, Homo sapiens held the rec..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b3/yuval-noah-harari-100_biology_don-t-believe-tree-huggers-who-claim-tha_987293.jpg" --- # Don’t believe tree-huggers who claim that our ancestors… ![“Don’t believe tree-huggers who claim that our ancestors lived in harmony with nature. Long before the Industrial Revolution, Homo sapiens held the record among all organisms for driving the most plant and animal species to their extinctions.” quote by Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b3/yuval-noah-harari-100_biology_don-t-believe-tree-huggers-who-claim-tha_987293.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b3/yuval-noah-harari-100_biology_don-t-believe-tree-huggers-who-claim-tha_987293.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b3/yuval-noah-harari-100_biology_don-t-believe-tree-huggers-who-claim-tha_987293.jpg) > ““Don’t believe tree-huggers who claim that our ancestors lived in harmony with nature. Long before the Industrial Revolution, Homo sapiens held the record among all organisms for driving the most plant and animal species to their extinctions.”” [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human activity has historically caused massive extinctions, contradicting the myth of a harmonious past. **In simple terms:** Humans have caused many extinctions. Key Takeaway Recognize our impact on ecosystems. Themes environment history anthropocene Mood reflective concerned Type analytical critical When to use this quote - conservation policy - education curricula - public awareness campaigns - corporate sustainability strategies Key Concepts extinction human dominance myth debunking Questions to Reflect On - How does acknowledging past extinctions change our view of progress? - What responsibilities arise from this history? A Different Perspective The quote may overlook earlier, smaller‑scale human impacts that were less documented. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Biology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biology/) [Extinction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extinction/) [Homo sapiens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homo-sapiens/) [Industrial revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industrial-revolution/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Trees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trees/) ## Related quotes > [“Long before the Industrial Revolution, Homo sapiens held the record among all organisms for driving the most plant and animal species to their extinctions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/long-before-the-industrial-revolution-homo-sapiens-held-the-record/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [“Don’t believe tree-huggers who claim that our ancestors lived in harmony with nature. 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