Carl Sagan I Have A Foreboding Quote
Introduction
Carl Sagan was an American astronomer, cosmologist, astrophysicist, astrobiologist, author, and science communicator. He is best known for his work in popularizing science, especially his television series Cosmos: A Personal Voyage.
In one of his interviews, he made a quote that is still relevant today. The quote goes, "I have a foreboding of an America in my children's or grandchildren's time - when the United States is a service and information economy; when nearly all the key manufacturing industries have slipped away to other countries; when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very few, and no one representing the public interest can even grasp the issues; when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority; when, clutching our crystals and nervously consulting our horoscopes, our critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what's true, we slide, almost without noticing, back into superstition and darkness."
The Meaning of the Quote
The quote is a warning about the future of America. Sagan predicts that America will become a service and information economy, with most of its manufacturing industries lost to other countries. He also warns that the awesome technological powers of the future will be in the hands of a very few, and no one representing the public interest will be able to grasp the issues. He predicts that the people will lose the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority. Instead, they will clutch their crystals and nervously consult their horoscopes, their critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what's true. In effect, America will slide back into superstition and darkness.
Relevance of the Quote Today
It's been over two decades since Carl Sagan made that quote, but it's still relevant today. America is still a service and information economy, and most of its manufacturing industries have indeed slipped away to other countries. The awesome technological powers of today are in the hands of a very few, and it's debatable whether anyone representing the public interest can even grasp the issues. The people are losing the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority. Instead of clutching crystals and consulting horoscopes, they are glued to their smartphones and social media feeds, where fake news and misinformation are rampant. It's a worrying trend that threatens to erode the critical thinking skills and rationality that are crucial for a healthy democracy.
Conclusion
Carl Sagan's quote is a wake-up call for all of us. We need to be aware of the trends that threaten to erode our critical thinking skills and rationality. We need to be vigilant against the forces of superstition and darkness that seek to pull us back. We need to question those in authority and set our own agendas. Only then can we hope to build a better future for ourselves and our children.
