"We have also arranged things so that almost no one understands science and technology. This is a prescription for disaster. We might get away with it for a while, but sooner or later this combustible mixture of ignorance and power is going to blow up in our faces."

Power

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Insight & Reflection

The theme of power is universal, yet Carl Sagan manages to capture its essence in a uniquely profound way. Taking a moment to internalize this can shift our mindset, reminding us that our perspective on power often shapes our reality.

About Carl Sagan

Carl Edward Sagan was an American astronomer, planetary scientist and science communicator. Initially an assistant professor at Harvard, Sagan later moved to Cornell, where he was the David Duncan Professor of Astronomy and Space Sciences and directed the Laboratory for Planetary Studies. He played an active role in the Mariner, Viking and Voyager programs. He published more than 600 scientific papers and articles and several popular science books, starting with The Cosmic Connection. He won the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction for The Dragons of Eden.

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Editorial Note: This quote is curated and fact-checked by the Quotes Archive Editorial Team. Verified Literature Specialist.

More by Carl Sagan

"I am often amazed at how much more capability and enthusiasm for science there is among elementary school youngsters than among college students."

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"Skeptical scrutiny is the means, in both science and religion, by which deep thoughts can be winnowed from deep nonsense."

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"I plead for conservation of human culture, which is much more fragile than nature herself. We needn't destroy other cultures with the force of our own."

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"When I was a kid going into the movies, you weren't force-fed information everywhere you looked about what the movie was going to be."

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