As defined in books by
Daniel Quinn, Takers are those who would "take the rule of the
world into their own hands." Thus, Takers live by this world
vision: The world was created for us to rule, our
destiny is to rule the world, and the only reason we've not yet been able to fulfill this destiny is because mankind is fundamentally
flawed in some manner. Once one is aware of this vision, one can see how
harmful it is. We can also readily see how this vision is expressed in every medium in our society.
Contrasted to Takers are the Leavers, those who "leave the rule of the world in the hands of the gods." Their world view is quite different: The world is a sacred place and a sacred process, and we are part of it.
The distinctive differences between these two viewpoints leads to drastically different living styles. Taker lifestyle, then, is inherently unsustainable (in ecological terms), while the Leaver lifestyle is exactly the opposite in this regard.