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The most important question we must ask ourselves is, 'Are we being good ancestors?'
Jonas Salk
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote emphasizes the importance of considering the impact of our actions on future generations.

Jonas Salk’s quote invites us to reflect on our moral responsibilities as ancestors to those who will come after us. It challenges us to evaluate how our present actions shape the future, urging us to cultivate a legacy of kindness, sustainability, and foresight. By asking if we are being 'good ancestors,' Salk emphasizes the interconnectedness of humanity and the long-lasting consequences of our choices.

Themes

AncestorsFutureLegacyResponsibilitySustainability

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion on environmental policies, this quote can remind participants of their legacy.

More from Jonas Salk

It is always with excitement that I wake up in the morning wondering what my intuition will toss up to me, like gifts from the sea. I work with it and rely on it. It's my partner.
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Life is an error-making and an error-correctin g process, and nature in marking man's papers will grade him for wisdom as measured both by survival and by the quality of life of those who survive.
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In my view, art and the approach to life through art, using it as a vehicle for education and even for doing science is so vital that it is part of a great new revolution that is taking place. I believe we are entering a whole new epoch.
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There is hope in dreams, imagination, and in the courage of those who wish to make those dreams a reality.
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Reply when questioned on the safety of the polio vaccine he developed: It is safe, and you can't get safer than safe.
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I'm saying that we should trust our intuition. I believe that the principles of universal evolution are revealed to us through intuition. And I think that if we combine our intuition and our reason, we can respond in an evolutionary sound way to our problems.
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