Is the minor convenience of allowing the present generation the luxury of doubling its energy consumption every 10 years worth the major hazard of exposing the next 20,000 generations to this lethal waste?
David R. BrowerRead
What we are finding out now is that there are not only limits to growth but also to technology and that we cannot allow technology to go on without public consent.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the need for public consent regarding technological advancements, drawing attention to the limits of both growth and technology.
David R. Brower's quote highlights the critical importance of public engagement and approval in the development and application of technology. It suggests that while we can strive for growth and advancements, we must recognize that both growth and technology have inherent limits, and it is essential to ensure that technological progress aligns with societal values and public consensus to prevent potential negative consequences.
Themes
TechnologyPublic ConsentGrowthLimitsSociety
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about sustainable development, you might say, 'As David R. Brower wisely pointed out, we must not let technology evolve without our collective agreement.'
More from David R. Brower
All quotes →Perhaps most ridiculous of all is the suggestion that we 'keep' our radioactive garbage for the use of our descendants. This 'solution', I think, requires an immediate poll of the next 20,000 generations.
David R. BrowerRead
Without wilderness, the world's a cage.
David R. BrowerRead
To me, a wilderness is where the flow of wildness is essentially uninterrupted by technology; without wilderness the world is a cage.
David R. BrowerRead
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