“We could say that the human race is a great coauthorship in which we are collaborating with God and nature in the making of ourselves and one another. From this there is no escape. We may collaborate either well or poorly or we may refuse to collaborate, but even to refuse to collaborate is to exert an influence and to affect the quality of the product. This is only a way of saying that by ourselves we have no meaning and no dignity; by ourselves we are outside the human definition, outside our identity.”

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About Wendell Berry

American poet and farmer, born 1934. He is best known for his lyrical essays on rural life, sustainability, and ecological responsibility, blending poetry with practical wisdom. His work often critiques industrial agriculture and advocates for small-scale farming as a moral and environmental necessity.

More from Wendell Berry (196 quotes) →
"We could say that the human race is a great coauthorship in which we…" — Wendell Berry | Daily Quotes