The whole life lies in the verb seeing.
Pierre Teilhard De ChardinRead
Surely the wake left behind by mankind's forward march reveals its movement just as clearly as the spray thrown up elsewhere by the prow.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the impact of humanity's progress, suggesting that our actions leave a visible mark on the world, much like a ship's wake in water.
Pierre Teilhard De Chardin's quote compares the forward momentum of humanity with the wake created by a ship moving through water. It suggests that just as a ship's journey is evident through the spray and wake it leaves behind, the progress and actions of mankind are revealed by the effects they have on the world. This metaphor highlights the importance of acknowledging the consequences of our advancements and the legacy we create through our collective efforts.
Themes
ProgressImpactHumanityLegacyConsequences
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about climate change, one could use this quote to emphasize the visible consequences of human actions on the environment.
More from Pierre Teilhard De Chardin
All quotes βReligion and science are the two conjugated faces or phases of one and the same complete act of knowledge - the only one which can embrace the past and future of evolution and so contemplate, measure and fulfil them.
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We may, perhaps, imagine that the creation was finished long ago. But that would be quite wrong. It continues still more magnificently, and at the highest levels of the world.
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Love alone is capable of uniting living beings in such a way as to complete and fulfill them, for it alone takes them and joins them by what is deepest in themselves. All we need is to imagine our ability to love developing until it embraces the totality of men and the earth.
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If there is one thing I fear less than everything else, it is, I believe, persecution for my opinions. There are a good many points about which I may be diffident, but when it comes to questions of Truth and intellectual independence, there is no holding me - I can envisage no finer end than to sacrifice oneself for a conviction.
Pierre Teilhard De ChardinRead
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