Zeno of Elia Quotes

Not only the bull attacks his enemies with curved horn, but also the sheep, when harmed fights back.

If a man puts a lion's family in jeopardy, what would it do? Would it enjoy fighting? Of course it wouldn't, but it's going to fight.

The Deer don't dineWhen a Wolf's about,And the PorcupineSticks his quill-points out.

Even if they don't know it, everyone has the instinct to survive.

They look at me and I kind of back up in case they go for my throat.

Way down deep, we're all motivated by the same urges. Cats have the courage to live by them.

Fear changes everything. We're animals, and when we get afraid we act like animals. I'm not exempt from that.

I have an instinct for survival, for self-preservation.

Self-preservation, nature's first great law, all the creatures, except man, doth awe.

Self-defence is Nature's eldest law.

It is ingrained in all living creatures, first of all, to preserve their own safety, to guard against what is harmful, to strive for what is advantageous.

The private interest of the individual would not be sufficiently provided for by reasonable and cool self-love alone; therefore the appetites and passions are placed within as a guard and further security, without which it would not be taken due care of.

I have an odd theory on happiness, and it bothers people. My general theory is that happiness is a reward for an animal doing what it should be doing. So if a horse runs, it feels happy. Or if you are too thin, you can't be happy, because evolution wants you to be tense and anxious, trying to wake up in the morning looking for food.

I feel I have to protect myself against things. So I'm pretty careful to lose most of them.

Self preservation is the first law of nature and governments.

I wasn’t being non-nonviolent, I was just protectin’ my family.

I think the default position of humans is to be terrible, and we have to train it out of our children. That's just part of survival, right? Predator animals don't survive by being nice; humans are basically predator animals.

You just always have to protect yourself. Try not to take any unnecessary hits.

When you're afraid, you look to amass power to defend yourself, not realizing that can also be corrupting.

Insects sting, not from malice, but because they want to live. It is the same with critics; they desire our blood not our pain.

The human instinct for self-preservation is strong. I know, because mine pulls at me, too, like the needle on a compass. And everybody - I've been reading some philosophy - everybody seems to agree that the instinct and responsibility of all humans is to take care of themselves first. You have the right to self-defense. You have the right to survive, if you can.

It is a law of nature that we defend ourselves from one affection only by means of another.

Every other creature on the planet is doing its best. Only human beings hesitate about that.

It was not well to drive men into final corners; at those moments they could all develop teeth and claws.

The trodden worm curls up. This testifies to its caution. It thus reduces its chances of being trodden upon again. In the language of morality: Humility.