Next to reasoning, the greatest handicap to the optimum development of Man lies in the fact that this planet is just barely habitable. Its minimum temperatures are too low, and its maximum temperatures too high. Its day is not long enough, and its night is too long. The disposition of its water and earth is distinctly unfortunate (the existence of the Mediterranean Sea in the place where we find it is perhaps the unhappiest accident in the whole firmament). These factors encourage depression, fear, war, and lack of vitality. They describe a planet, which is by no means perfectly devised for the nurturing or for the perpetuation of a higher intelligence.

Summary

This quote highlights the idea that the suboptimal conditions of our planet hinder the optimum development of humanity. The range of temperatures experienced on Earth, from extreme cold to extreme heat, along with the length of day and night, pose challenges to human flourishing. Additionally, the arrangement of water and land, specifically the presence of the Mediterranean Sea in its particular location, is considered an unfortunate circumstance. These unfavorable factors contribute to negative emotions, fear, conflict, and a lack of vitality in human life. As a result, it suggests that Earth is not perfectly designed to support the nurturing and perpetuation of higher intelligence.

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