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Attention should be paid to this question of our soul, and not simply to accounting procedures. Attention should be paid to the interest of those who are yet unborn, who should be able to see this generation as it saw itself, and the past generation as it saw itself.
George Lucas
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Interpretation

What this quote means

We must focus on the well-being of future generations rather than just current practices.

In this quote, George Lucas emphasizes the importance of considering the long-term impacts of our actions on future generations. He suggests that we should prioritize the moral and ethical dimensions of our decisions—what he refers to as the 'soul'—over mere accounting and practical considerations, urging us to reflect on how we are perceived by those who will come after us.

Themes

FutureSoulEthicsGenerationsResponsibility

In practice

Example use cases

In a speech about environmental sustainability, one might quote this to highlight the need for responsible stewardship.

More from George Lucas

Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.
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The technology keeps moving forward, which makes it easier for the artists to tell their stories and paint the pictures they want.
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I've come to the conclusion that mythology is really a form of archaeological psychology. Mythology gives you a sense of what a people believes, what they fear.
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I wanted Yoda to be the traditional kind of character you find in fairy tales and mythology. And that character is usually a frog or a wizened old man on the side of the road. The hero is going down the road and meets this poor and insignificant person. The goal or lesson is for the hero to learn to respect everybody and to pay attention to the poorest person because that's where the key to his success will be.
George LucasRead
So this is how liberty dies. With thunderous applause.
George LucasRead

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