Measured in time of transport and communication, the whole round globe is now smaller than a small European country was a hundred years ago.
John Boyd OrrRead
As we have seen, the wireless and the airplane have made the world so small and nations so dependent on each other that the only alternative to war is the United States of the World.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that global interdependence necessitates collaboration over conflict.
John Boyd Orr's quote reflects on the profound impact of technological advancements, such as wireless communication and aviation, which have shrunk the world and heightened the interdependencies among nations. He posits that in this interconnected landscape, war becomes an increasingly untenable option, advocating instead for a united global community that prioritizes peace and cooperation.
Themes
GlobalizationInterdependencePeaceCooperationTechnology
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about international relations, one might use this quote to emphasize the importance of global diplomacy.
More from John Boyd Orr
All quotes →It is said that those whom the gods wish to destroy they first make mad. It may well be that a war neurosis stirred up by propaganda of fear and hatred is the prelude to destruction.
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There can be no peace in the world so long as a large proportion of the population lack the necessities of life and believe that a change of the political and economic system will make them available. World peace must be based on world plenty.
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When the fabric of society is so rigid that it cannot change quickly enough, adjustments are achieved by social unrest and revolutions.
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