Our big social institutions do not reflect human nature; they distort it. Edward Abbey More Quotes by Edward Abbey More Quotes From Edward Abbey Is it possible to grow wiser without knowing it? One hopes so. We all hope so. Edward Abbey wisergrowsknowing The world is older and bigger than we are. This is a hard truth for some folks to swallow. Edward Abbey folksbiggerworld My sole literary ambition is to write one good novel, then retire to my hut in the desert, assume the lotus position, compose my mind and senses, and sink into meditation, contemplating my novel. Edward Abbey meditationambitionwriting In social affairs, I'm an optimist. I really do believe that our military- industrial civilization will soon collapse. Edward Abbey militarycivilizationbelieve The rich can buy everything but health, virtue, friendship, wit, good looks, love, pride, intelligence, grace, and, if you need it, happiness. Edward Abbey pridegraceneeds The function of football, soccer, basketball and other passion-sports in modern industrial society is the transference of boredom, frustration, anger and rage into socially acceptable forms of combat. A temporary substitute for war; for nationalism; identification with something bigger than the self. Edward Abbey basketballsoccersports Mayonnaise, like hollandaise, was invented by the French to cover up the flavor of spoiled flesh, stale vegetables, rotten fish. Beware the sauce! Where food comes beslobbered with an elegant slime you may well suspect the integrity of the basic ingredients. Edward Abbey cover-upsvegetablesintegrity Great art is never perfect; perfect art is never great. Edward Abbey balletperfectart One man alone can be pretty dumb sometimes, but for real bona fide stupidity, there ain't nothing can beat teamwork. Edward Abbey realteamworkstupid I hold no preference among flowers, so long as they are wild, free, spontaneous. Edward Abbey natureflowerlong A giant thirst is a great joy when quenched in time. Edward Abbey thirstgiantsjoy God bless America. Let's try to save some of it. Edward Abbey god-blesstryingamerica I have found through trial and error that I work best under duress. In fact Edward Abbey trial-and-errorerrorstrials The function of an ideal is not to be realized but, like that of the North Edward Abbey north-starfunctionstars The industrial corporation is the natural enemy of nature. Edward Abbey corporationsnaturalenemy A man could be a lover and defender of the wilderness without ever in his lifetime leaving the boundaries of asphalt, powerlines, and right-angled surfaces. We need wilderness whether or not we ever set foot in it. We need a refuge even though we may never need to set foot in it. We need the possibility of escape as surely as we need hope; without it the life of the cities would drive all men into crime or drugs or psychoanalysis. Edward Abbey citiesfeetmen What good is a Bill of Rights that does not include the right to play, to wander, to explore, the right to stillness and solitude, to discovery and physical freedom? Edward Abbey freedomrightsdiscovery Beware of the man who has no enemies. Edward Abbey he-manmenenemy It may be true that my desk here is really 'nothing but' a transient eddy of electrons in the flux of universal process. Nevertheless, I find that it continues to support my feet, my revolver, and my cigars all day long. What happens when my back is turned I don't know. Or much care. That's no concern of mine. Edward Abbey supportfeetlong Generally speaking, it's a matter of only mild intellectual interest to me whether the earth goes around the sun or the sun goes around the earth. In fact, I don't care a rat's ass either way. Edward Abbey careintellectualearth
