Thoughtful.

Over the past few days I've begun to re-read my two Derrick Jensen books; The Culture of Make Believe and A Language Older Than Words. These books make me think and have helped me better understand the world around me and encouraging me to question what's going on as well.

I was introduced to A Language Older Than Words in 11th grade. Our teacher photo-copied an excerpt from the book, it was only the introduction and that following weekend I went out and bought a copy. I was hooked on Jensen's writing. The book has now been written in with certain quotes or passages high lighted.

The following are some quotes I've found.

"In order for us to maintain our way of living, we must, in a broad sense, tell lies to each other, and especially to ourselves. It is not necessary that the lies be particularly believable. The lies act as barriers to truth. These barriers to truth are necessary because without them many deplorable acts would become impossibilities.
-A Language Older Than Words

Jeanette [Armstrong, "a traditional Okanagan Indian"] said, 'Attitudes about interspecies communication are the primary difference between western and indigenous philosophies. Even the most progressive western philosophers still generally believe that listening to the land is a metaphor.' She paused, then continued emphatically, 'It's not a metaphor. It's how the world is.'
p. 24, A Language Older Than Words


Derrick Jensen

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