Quote Reflection – The Starfish Flinger
As the old man walked the beach at dawn, he noticed a young man ahead of him picking up starfish and flinging them into the sea.
Finally catching up with the youth, he asked him why he was doing this. The answer was that the stranded starfish would die if left until the morning sun.
“But the beach goes on for miles and there are millions of starfish,” countered the other. “How can your effort make any difference?”
The young man looked at the starfish in his hand and then threw it to safety in the waves.
“It makes a difference to this one,” he said.
Loren Eiseley, PhD (1907 – 1977) (Biography attached)
Read the quotes above and then the biography of Loren Eiseley. Based on your integration and application of the chapter readings, module notes, professional experience, and external sources, compose a thoughtful response to the following discussion prompts:
In your opinion, how does the Starfish Flinger story reflect the philosophy of Human Services?
How would you relate this story to the international dimension of Human Services?
What meaning does this quote have for you personally?
