Humanity cannot afford to muddle through the rest of the twentieth century; the risks are too great, and the stakes are too high. This may be the last opportunity to choose our own and our descendants’ destiny. Failing to choose or making the wrong choices may lead to catastrophe. But it must never be forgotten that the right choices could lead to a much better world.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of making informed choices for the future to avoid disastrous consequences.
John Holdren's quote reflects the urgency and gravity of decision-making in the context of humanity's future. It asserts that as we navigate through the complexities of the twentieth century, the choices we make now will significantly impact our lives and those of future generations. The notion of either choosing wisely or facing dire outcomes serves as a reminder that our actions have far-reaching implications, and with the potential for both devastation and improvement, the responsibility lies in collective awareness and proactive choices.
In practice
In a graduation speech about the importance of decision-making in life.
Any objective look at what science has to say about climate change ought to be sufficient to persuade reasonable people that the climate is changing and that humans are responsible for a substantial part of that - and that these changes are doing harm and will continue to do more harm unless we start to reduce our emissions.
The difficulty for most of us in the modern world is that the old-fashioned idea of God has become incredible or implausible.
With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage.
I like to walk about among the beautiful things that adorn the world; but private wealth I should decline, or any sort of personal possessions, because they would take away my liberty.
Memory that yearns to join the centre, a limb remembering the body from which it has been severed, like those bamboo thighs of the god.
The characteristic feature of militarism is not the fact that a nation has a powerful army or navy. It is the paramount role assigned to the army within the political structure. Even in peacetime the army is supreme; it is the predominant factor in political life. The subjects must obey the government as soldiers must obey their superiors. Within a militarist community there is no freedom; there are only obedience and discipline.
There is no great harm in the theorist who makes up a new theory to fit a new event. But the theorist who starts with a false theory and then sees everything as making it come true is the most dangerous enemy of human reason.
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