Nature and other things that abhor a vacuum (aside from cats and dogs)...

THE FAMOUS PROVERBIAL QUOTE: “Nature abhors a vacuum.”        Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677)        Dutch philosopher        Quoting an old Latin proverb in his book Ethics (1677)

COMMENT ON THE ARIZONA SHOOTING: “Does a lack of civility in our speech and blatant disregard for the right of people with differing opinions promote and encourage those with violent tendencies to act out?...Nature abhors a vacuum. If we don't implement new behaviors, we'll return to the status quo. Human nature is like that.”        Dr. Judith Rich        Psychologist and author        In an opinion piece on The Huffington Post, January 19, 2011        Commenting on the January 8, 2011 shooting spree by Jared Loughner, who killed six people and wounded 14 others, including U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords

COUNTERQUOTE ON THE ARIZONA SHOOTING: “Nature abhors a vacuum, so send in the clowns. As great as America is, we still have crazy people. We still have criminals. The tragic shooting will resurrect attempts of failed gun prohibitionists to use this time of sorrow for their own gain...The truth is you cannot legislate crazy.”        Rev. Kenn Blanchard         Blogger and host of the “Urban Shooter Podcast: The Pro-Gun Variety Show”         In a post about Jared Loughner on his blog on the AmmoLand.com website, January 10, 2011

VICTOR HUGO’S OBSERVATION ON HATE: “The mind, like nature, abhors vacuum. Into emptiness, nature puts love; the mind often puts hate. Hate occupies. Hate for hate’s sake exists…A man hates: he must do something.”        Victor Hugo (1802-1885)        French poet, playwright, novelist,        In his novel L’Homme Qui Rit (The Man Who Laughs), first published in 1869

THE SPIRITUAL VACUUM VERSION: “Nature abhors a vacuum, even a spiritual one. People who've lost their beliefs, they’re like empty vessels, more susceptible to having their lives taken over by forces bigger than themselves.”        Father Kennedy (actor Jude Ciccolella) in the movie Premonition (2007)

EMERSON’S OBSERVATION ON OLD AGE: “Nature abhors the old, and old age seems the only disease; all others run into this one.”        Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)        American essayist, lecturer and poet        In his essay “Circles,” published in Essays, First Series (1841)        (Cartoon by J.C. Duffy.)

THOREAU’S OBSERVATION ON BUSINESS: “Most men are engaged in business the greater part of their lives, because the soul abhors a vacuum, and they have not discovered any continuous employment for man’s nobler faculties.”        Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)        American writer, philosopher and social critic        In an entry in his journal dated April 27, 1854

A DYSTOPIAN TAKE ON LONGEVITY: “Nature abhors longevity…You sure you want this? The problems that would arise for human longevity are legion. How would we feed everyone? Who decides who can have kids? Do we throw all new people off the planet?”        Ethicist Don Lee        In an opinion piece posted on the Seattle PI Reader site

THE PROHIBITION PRINCIPLE: “Drinking abhors a vacuum. If there were no saloon, another drinking place would be found.”        Historian Andrew Sinclair        In his book Prohibition, the Era of Excess (1962)

THE HOLLYWOOD PRINCIPLE: “Nature abhors a vacuum, but not Hollywood. They've created the contemporary romantic comedy, a seemingly endless string of them over the last several years, all formulaic, predictable, many similar in plot…and just when you thought it was safe to go back into the movie theater, another shallow, existential black hole of a film appears.”        Journalist and critic Chris Honoré        In a movie review published in the Ashland Daily Tidings, January 27, 2011

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Further reading: some recently-published and forthcoming books of quotations…