I feel like everything you learn as an actor growing up is wrong. You're supposed to hit your mark, find your light and know your lines. Those are all things that just make things wooden, dull and boring.
Joaquin PhoenixRead
I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one fish was caught, he was writhing, then he was thrown against the side of the boat. You couldn't disguise what it was. This was what we did to animals to eat them. The animal went from a living, vibrant creature fighting for life to a violent death. I recognized it, as did my brothers and sisters.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on a childhood memory that highlights the stark contrast between life and death in nature.
In this poignant reflection, Joaquin Phoenix shares a vivid memory from his childhood that emphasizes the brutal reality of life and death in the natural world. As a child witnessing the capture and death of a fish, he confronts the uncomfortable truth of how human survival often comes at the expense of other living beings. This experience not only shaped his understanding of compassion towards animals but also provoked a deeper philosophical contemplation about the ethics of consuming life for sustenance.
Themes
CompassionLifeDeathNatureAnimals
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in discussions about animal rights and ethical treatment of creatures.
More from Joaquin Phoenix
All quotes →It takes nothing away from a human to be kind to an animal.
Joaquin PhoenixRead
I don't think one should be comfortable standing on a stage with people applauding and laughing at every stupid thing you say.
Joaquin PhoenixRead
I have this horrible sense of humor where I think discomfort is funny - partly because I experience discomfort a lot, and it's a way of laughing at it and getting a release.
Joaquin PhoenixRead
We are all animals of this planet. We are all creatures. And nonhuman animals experience pain sensations just like we do. They too are strong, intelligent, industrious, mobile, and evolutional. They too are capable of growth and adaptation. Like us, firsthand foremost, they are earthlings. And like us, they are surviving. Like us they also seek their own comfort rather than discomfort. And like us they express degrees of emotion. In short like us, they are alive.
Joaquin PhoenixRead
I think the day that I become comfortable doing interviews and going on talk shows is the day that I don't know what it is to be a human being anymore.
Joaquin PhoenixRead
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