There are horrors beyond life's edge that we do not suspect, and once in a while man's evil prying calls them just within our range.
H. P. LovecraftRead
It is absolutely necessary, for the peace and safety of mankind, that some of earth's dark, dead corners and unplumbed depths be left alone; lest sleeping abnormalities wake to resurgent life, and blasphemously surviving nightmares squirm and splash out of their black lairs to newer and wider conquests.
Interpretation
Some parts of the world should remain untouched to prevent awakening hidden dangers.
This quote by H.P. Lovecraft reflects a philosophy of caution regarding the exploration of the unknown. It suggests that delving into certain areas of existence, whether literal or metaphorical, may awaken forces that are better left undisturbed, as these 'nightmares' could threaten the peace and safety of humanity.
In practice
During a lecture about the importance of preserving natural habitats, one might say, 'As Lovecraft warns, some dark corners of the world must be left alone to protect the balance of nature.'
There are horrors beyond life's edge that we do not suspect, and once in a while man's evil prying calls them just within our range.
I know always that I am an outsider; a stranger in this century and among those who are still men.
Searchers after horror haunt strange, far places.
The process of delving into the black abyss is to me the keenest form of fascination.
No new horror can be more terrible than the daily torture of the commonplace.
I am, indeed, an absolute materialist so far as actual belief goes; with not a shred of credence in any form of supernaturalism—religion, spiritualism, transcendentalism, metempsychosis, or immortality.
You die, but most of what you have accumulated will not be lost; you are leaving a message in a bottle.
Sometimes immense things, like war and death and aging, are best seen from the corner of the eye and written of only obliquely, with tremendous lightness.
One side of me is very busy paying attention to the details of life, the humanity of people, catching the street voices, the middle-class, upper-middle-class secret lives of Turks. The other side is interested in history and class and gender, trying to get all of society in a very realistic way.
Economic disasters or foolish wars are hardly guaranteed to bring about large-scale individual self-examination or renew the appeal of truly participatory democracy.
In discussing Barbarism and Christianity I have actually been discussing the Fall of Rome.
All these people talk so eloquently about getting back to good old-fashioned values. Well, as an old poop I can remember back to when we had those old-fashioned values, and I say let's get back to the good old-fashioned First Amendment of the good old-fashioned Constitution of the United States - and to hell with the censors! Give me knowledge or give me death!
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