The voice of the natural world would be, "Could you please give us space and leave us alone to get along with our own lives and our own ways, because we actually know much better how to do it then when you start interfering."
Jane GoodallRead
In what terms should we think of these beings, nonhuman yet possessing so very many human-like characteristics? How should we treat them? Surely we should treat them with the same consideration and kindness as we show to other humans; and as we recognize human rights, so too should we recognize the rights of the great apes? Yes.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote urges us to extend our moral considerations and kindness to nonhuman beings, particularly great apes, recognizing their human-like traits and rights.
Jane Goodall's quote compels us to reflect on our ethical responsibilities towards nonhuman beings, emphasizing that those who share human-like characteristics deserve the same respect and consideration we afford to other humans. By advocating for the recognition of the rights of great apes, Goodall challenges us to reconsider our perspectives on animals, urging a broader inclusivity in our moral compass that champions kindness and compassion across species.
Themes
KindnessRightsNonhumanConsiderationGreat Apes
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech at an animal rights conference, one might quote Goodall to emphasize the need for compassion towards animals.
More from Jane Goodall
All quotes →We can't leave people in abject poverty, so we need to raise the standard of living for 80% of the world's people, while bringing it down considerably for the 20% who are destroying our natural resources.
Jane GoodallRead
I was born in London in England in 1934. I went through, as a child, the horrors of World War II, through a time when food was rationed and we learned to be very careful, and we never had more to eat than what we needed to eat. There was no waste. Everything was used.
Jane GoodallRead
Chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutan shave been living for hundreds of thousands of years in their forest,living fantastic lives, never overpopulating, never destroying the forest. I would say that they have been in a way more successful than us as far as being in harmony with the environment.
Jane GoodallRead
There are an awful lot of scientists today who believe that before very long we shall have unraveled all the secrets of the universe. There will be no puzzles anymore. To me, it'd be really, really tragic because I think one of the most exciting things is this feeling of mystery, feeling of awe, the feeling of looking at a little live thing and being amazed by it and how it has emerged through these hundreds of years of evolution and there it is and it is perfect and why.
Jane GoodallRead
Especially now when views are becoming more polarized, we must work to understand each other across political, religious and national boundaries.
Jane GoodallRead
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