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4d39439 What is the use of a house if you haven't got a tolerable planet to put it on? environmental-protection possessions environment materialism Henry David Thoreau
0ec2362 Wealth is not an absolute. It is relative to desire. Every time we yearn for something we cannot afford, we grow poorer, whatever our resources. And every time we feel satisfied with what we have, we can be counted as rich, however little we may actually possess. poverty wealth satisfaction possessions longing Alain de Botton
bb119d4 "The known is finite, the unknown infinite; intellectually we stand on an islet in the midst of an illimitable ocean of inexplicability. Our business in every generation is to reclaim a little more land, to add something to the extent and the solidity of our possessions. And even a cursory glance at the history of the biological sciences during the last quarter of a century is sufficient to justify the assertion, that the most potent instrument for the extension of the realm of natural knowledge which has come into men's hands, since the publication of metaphor history science illimitable inexplicability principia solidity origin-of-species possessions intellectual business biology charles-darwin goal justification darwin infinite knowledge ocean isaac-newton newton unknown Thomas Henry Huxley
e4d787d If niggers were supposed to have their freedom, they wouldn't be in chains. If the red man was supposed to keep hold of his land, it'd still be his. If the white man wasn't destined to take this new world, he wouldn't own it now. Here was the true Great Spirit, the divine thread connecting all human endeavor--if you can keep it, it is yours. Your property, slave or continent. The American imperative. slavery america us united-states-of-america white-people possessions native-americans usa united-states ownership race-relations Colson Whitehead
348f379 Those that much covet are with gain so fond, For what they have not, that which they possess They scatter and unloose it from their bond, And so, by hoping more, they have but less; Or, gaining more, the profit of excess Is but to surfeit, and such griefs sustain, That they prove bankrupt in this poor-rich gain. greed gain insatiability possessions excess entitlement William Shakespeare
c869e44 We are tempted to believe that certain achievements and possessions will give us enduring satisfaction. We are invited to imagine ourselves scaling the steep cliff face of happiness in order to reach a wide, high plateau on which we will live out the rest of our lives; we are not reminded that soon after gaining the summit, we will be called down again into fresh lowlands of anxiety and desire. self-knowledge happiness status possessions anxiety materialism desire Alain de Botton
0996b42 "Technologies of easy travel "give us wings; they annihilate the toil and dust of pilgrimage; they spiritualize travel! Transition being so facile, what can be any man's inducement to tarry in one spot? Why, therefore, should he build a more cumbrous habitation than can readily be carried off with him? Why should he make himself a prisoner for life in brick, and stone, and old worm-eaten timber, when he may just as easily dwell, in one sense, nowhere,--in a better sense, wherever the fit and beautiful shall offer him a home?" travel possessions technology Nathaniel Hawthorne
f588df6 To have so little, and it of so little value, was to be quaintly free. possessions materialism Wallace Stegner
0f154d2 We buy things. We wear them or put them on our walls, or sit on them, but anyone who wants to can take them away from us. Or break them. ... Long after he's dead, someone else will own those stupid little boxes, and then someone after him, just as someone owned them before he did. But no one ever thinks of that: objects survive us and go on living. It's stupid to believe we own them. And it's sinful for them to be so important. death possessions ownership materialism Donna Leon
b20838b "The meaning of life in western secular society is to be successful. So many people are success mad and they are encouraged to reach for something and have so called "worthwhile goals". Money, fame, power, good looks, possessions are the indicators of success and the media and advertising companies exploit this. People are conditioned to believe that they can only feel happy or good about themselves if they have these things. This of course is not true." money looks lies good meaning success happiness life truth companies conditioned indicators what possessions conditioning is of fame successful western society goals secular media deceit power Tim Crawshaw
86af453 Once a person has become detached from his possessions, his customary duties, his moments of solitude, where is he? What is he? solitude possessions duties Patricia Highsmith
130fcdf My dear, you never will understand time, will you? You're always trying to be the things you were, instead of the person you are tonight. Why do you save those ticket stubs and theater programs? They'll only hurt you later. Throw them away, my dear. possessions the-past Ray Bradbury
4f7e9f7 Giving up everything must mean giving over everything to kingdom purposes, surrendering everything to further the one central cause, loosening our grip on everything. For some of us, this may mean ridding ourselves of most of our possessions. But for all of us it should mean dedicating everything we retain to further the kingdom. (For true disciples, however, it cannot mean hoarding or using kingdom assets self-indulgently.) possessions hoarding giving sharing discipleship selfish grip purpose kingdom surrender Randy Alcorn
beba1c7 Whoever has the better stuff wins. Sound familiar, American lackeys of late-stage capitalism? possessions capitalism Colson Whitehead
5677f8a What we have, we all must lose--that applied to everything, even to that which we thought we had the greatest right. We were tenants of this earth--nothing more. earth possessions Alexander McCall Smith
84f5790 When we are sad...it can be comforting to cling to familiar objects, to things that don't change. grief loss comforting possessions Donna Tartt
ed4d997 There is a powerful relationship between our true spiritual condition and our attitude and actions concerning money and possessions. money possessions materialism Randy Alcorn