Everyone finds justification for his or her views in logic and analysis, but a personal philosophy often emerges from some archaic part of the mind, an early idea of how the world should be.
George PackerRead
The next great technology revolution might be around the corner, but it won't automatically improve most people's lives. That will depend on politics, which is indeed ugly but also inescapable.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Technological advancements alone won't enhance lives; political actions will determine the outcome.
This quote highlights the critical intersection of technology and politics, suggesting that while new technologies may offer potential, their actual impact on society will be shaped by political decisions and their often contentious nature. It underscores the idea that innovation without supportive politics may not lead to meaningful improvements in people's lives.
Themes
TechnologyPoliticsInnovationSocietyChange
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion on the role of technology in education, you might say, 'Remember, the next great technology revolution might bring change, but as George Packer said, its impact will depend on politics.'
More from George Packer
All quotes βIdeology knows the answer before the question has been asked. Principles are something different: a set of values that have to be adapted to circumstances but not compromised away.
George PackerRead
At the heart of the matter is a battle between wish and fear. Fear generally proves stronger than a wish, but it leaves a taste of disappointment on the tongue.
George PackerRead
As America has grown less economically equal, a citizen's ability to move upward has fallen behind that of citizens in other Western democracies. We are no longer the country where anyone can become anything.
George PackerRead
The invisibility of work and workers in the digital age is as consequential as the rise of the assembly line and, later, the service economy.
George PackerRead
Abstract sympathy with the working class as an economic entity is easy, but the feeling can vanish on contact with actual members of the group, who often arrive with disturbing beliefs and powerful resentments - who might not sound or look like people urban progressives want to know.
George PackerRead
Similar quotes
Once you understand that everybody's going to get connected, a lot of things follow from that. If everybody gets the Internet, they end up with a browser, so they look at web pages - but they can also leave comments, create web pages. They can even host their own server! So not only is everybody consuming, they can also produce.
Marc AndreessenRead
The country that owns green, that dominates that industry, is going to have the most energy security, national security, economic security, competitive companies, healthy population and, most of all, global respect.
Thomas FriedmanRead
For the first time in history it is now possible to take care of everybody at a higher standard of living than any have ever known. Only ten years ago the 'more with less' technology reached the point where this could be done. All humanity now has the option to become enduringly successful.
R. Buckminster FullerRead
But the idea that some day people would want to be able to interact and get stock quotes and talk with other people or all these different things, I just believed that was going to happen
Steve CaseRead
There's an assumption that women don't start companies that earn more than X amount of dollars, or that have more than X amount of users, and Bumble is now really growing into one of the main players if you look at all the mainstream social-media platforms.
Whitney Wolfe HerdRead
I would play games long enough to discover what games were doing and how they were doing it. And then I'd spend the rest of my time building.
Tim SweeneyRead