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Peter de Vries11
American editor and novelist 1910–1993Related quotes
Miloš Forman (1932–2018) czech-American director, screenwriter, and professor
GWU interview (1997)
Context: You know, you have to really decide where you want to live: if you want to live in the jungle or in the zoo. Because if you want the beauty, if you want freedom, the jungle is... that's your world. But you're in danger there, you have to live with snakes, sharks, tigers, skunks, you know, mosquitoes, leeches. You want to be safe, you have to live in the zoo. You are protected. You know, if you are a lamb, the tiger will not attack you. You know, you'll get a little bit something to eat every day; that's fine. You have to work hard, but you live behind the bars, and what's wonderful — you live there behind the bars and you dream about the beauty of the jungle. Now what happened was that the bars opened, and everybody runs after the dream. And suddenly, well, yeah, it's beautiful — yes, I am free to go wherever I want, do whatever I want, but where do I want to go? Oh, my God, and here is a tiger and here's a snake. Oh, oh, and people have a tendency to, you know, back. And you will be surprised how many people prefer to live in the zoo; they are not ready to pay for the freedom; they think that freedom should be, you know, for free, even for granted, which never is, never is.
Peter Greenaway (1942) British film director
From the introduction to the published script.
A Zed and Two Noughts
“.. the most dangerous animal in a zoo is Man.”
Yann Martel book Life of Pi
Variant: We commonly say in the trade that the most dangerous animal in a zoo is Man.
Source: Life of Pi
“If you want to keep alive in the jungle, you must live as the jungle does.”
John Wyndham book The Midwich Cuckoos
Source: The Midwich Cuckoos (1957), Ch 21 - p.220 [Zellaby]
“You want to be safe, you have to live in the zoo.”
Miloš Forman (1932–2018) czech-American director, screenwriter, and professor
GWU interview (1997)
Context: You know, you have to really decide where you want to live: if you want to live in the jungle or in the zoo. Because if you want the beauty, if you want freedom, the jungle is... that's your world. But you're in danger there, you have to live with snakes, sharks, tigers, skunks, you know, mosquitoes, leeches. You want to be safe, you have to live in the zoo. You are protected. You know, if you are a lamb, the tiger will not attack you. You know, you'll get a little bit something to eat every day; that's fine. You have to work hard, but you live behind the bars, and what's wonderful — you live there behind the bars and you dream about the beauty of the jungle. Now what happened was that the bars opened, and everybody runs after the dream. And suddenly, well, yeah, it's beautiful — yes, I am free to go wherever I want, do whatever I want, but where do I want to go? Oh, my God, and here is a tiger and here's a snake. Oh, oh, and people have a tendency to, you know, back. And you will be surprised how many people prefer to live in the zoo; they are not ready to pay for the freedom; they think that freedom should be, you know, for free, even for granted, which never is, never is.
“Zoo: An excellent place to study the habits of human beings.”
Evan Esar (1899–1995) American writer
Esar's Comic Dictionary