Edward Abbey - thoughts

 Though I hadn't heard of Edward Abbey before last week's assigned reading, I must say I'm quickly becoming a fan of his. Abbey is sardonic and unapologetic in his writing, whether he's sharing his thoughts about nature, people, or the policies concerning public lands ("Polemic" was a ~wild~ read.) 

Abbey doesn't mince words, and it's not accidental that his writing inspired environmentalist and eco-terrorist groups. If you know me at all, you're probably not surprised that a part of me identifies with his anarchist tendencies. I mean, how could you not like a guy who says things like "Society is like a stew. If you don't stir it up once in a while, then a layer of scum floats to the top" or "A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government." As a side note, it's not terribly surprising that this man made it onto the FBI's watch list. 

Now, I will admit that the racist and sexist undertones in some of his writing make me cringe. However, appreciating literary work for its impact while simultaneously critiquing it for what it lacks is a skill I've been working to develop lately. (Ask me about my moral conflict reading Bronte this summer, and I will happily soapbox about white feminism!!) Last week, we were given an assignment to choose two quotes or passages by Abbey that spoke to us. I had trouble picking two (surprise, surprise!), so I decided to dedicate a post to Abbey, whom I found quite ~quotable~ (see last post.)

Initially (when I started writing this post on Wednesday), I planned to compose a thorough analysis of various passages from Abbey's works. Now, on Sunday night, between studying biochemistry and mammalian physiology, I'm thinking this will resemble a quote dump more than an analysis. Regardless, please enjoy some of my favorites from Abbey. I found the following quotes relatable, funny, or particularly thought-provoking; I'll let you pick which quote belongs to which category. So, without further ado, enjoy!

"It would be like murder; and where would I set my coffee?" (The Norton Book of Nature Writing, 616).

"I'm a humanist; I'd rather kill a man than a snake" (616).

"Am I compelled to put on boots or shoes every time I wish to step outside?" (616).

"We are compatible. From my point of view, friends" (618). *note: he's referring to a snake.

"I'm in the stifling heat of the trailer opening a can of beer, bare-footed, about to go outside and relax after a hard day of watching cloud formations" (618).

"For an instant I am paralyzed by wonder; then, stung by a fear too ancient and powerful to overcome I scramble back, rising to my knees. The snakes veer and turn and race away from me in parallel motion, their lean elegant bodies making a soft hissing noise as they slide over the sand and stone" (619).

"How can I descend to such anthropomorphism? Easily -- but is it, in this case entirely false?... I suggest... that it's a foolish, simple-minded rationalism which denies any form of emotion to all animals but man and his dog... It seems to me possible, even probable, that many of the nonhuman undomesticated animals experience emotions unknown to us. What do the coyotes mean when they yodel at the moon? What are the dolphins trying to so patiently tell us? Precisely what did those two enraptured gopher snakes have in mind when they came gliding toward my eyes over the naked sandstone? If I had been as capable of trust as I am susceptible to fear I might have learned something new or some truth so very old we have all forgotten it" (619-620).

"We are obliged, therefore, to spread the news, painful and bitter though it may be for some to hear, that all living things on earth are kindred" (620).

"No matter where my head and feet may go, my heart and my entrails stay behind..." (620).

"Survival Hint #1: Stay out of there. Don't go. Stay home and read a good book, this one for example" (620).

"...and in the American Southwest, only the wilderness is worth saving" (623).

"Those who learn to love what is spare, rough, wild, undeveloped, and unbroken will be willing to fight for it" (624). 

"Do all you can to obliterate the evidence that you camped here. (The Search and Rescue Team may be looking for you.)" (625).

The previous quotes are taken from Abbey's essays "The Serpents of Paradise" and "The Great American Desert" in The Norton Book of Nature Writing, both of which I would recommend. I found the satire in "The Great American Desert" particularly entertaining. I've also added The Monkey Wrench Gang and Desert Solitaire to my Goodreads list. Abbey makes me feel some feelings and think some thoughts. Possible later post to come with more complexity than my brain is currently capable of. In the meantime, I'll close with some ~quality~ advice from Abbey:

"Keep America Beautiful. Grow a beard. Take a bath. Burn a billboard" (625). 

Edward Abbey: truly a gem!