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About this quote

What does it mean?
People exploit what they value but defend what they love; knowing something deeply fosters love.
In plain terms
Love comes from knowing something well, and we protect what we love.
What can you take from it?
Deep knowledge leads to love and protection.

Where it applies

  • environmental activism
  • community care
  • education

Putting it to work

  • learn deeply about what you care for
  • build specific knowledge

Questions to consider

  • What do you love because you know it?
  • How does knowledge change your care?

Another view

Sometimes value without love still leads to exploitation.

More from Wendell Berry

  1. Reductionism (ultimately, the empirical explanability of everything and a cornerstone of science), has uses that are appropriate, and it also can be used inapp…

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  2. We are alive within mystery, by miracle. 'Life,' wrote Erwin Chargaff, 'is the continual intervention of the inexplicable.' We have more than we can know. We k…

    Permalink to quote #28
  3. Never forget: We are alive within mysteries.

    Permalink to quote #25

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