It is a mistake," he said, " to suppose that the public…
““It is a mistake," he said, " to suppose that the public wants the environment protected or their lives saved and that they will be grateful to any idealist who will fight for such ends. What the public wants is their own individual comfort. We know that well enough from our experience in the environmental crisis of the twentieth century. Once it was well known that cigarettes increased the incidence of lung cancer, the obvious remedy was to stop smoking, but the desired remedy was a cigarette that did not cause cancer. When it became clear that the internal-combustion engine was polluting the atmosphere dangerously, the obvious remedy was to abandon such engines, and the desired remedy was to develop non-polluting engines.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
People prioritize personal comfort over collective environmental action, preferring convenient compromises to ideal solutions.
In simple terms: Comfort trumps idealism.
Key Takeaway
Address comfort‑driven incentives.
Themes
environment
comfort
policy
human behavior
Mood
skeptical
reflective
Type
analytical
critical
When to use this quote
- marketing campaigns
- product design
- legislation
- public health initiatives
Key Concepts
behavioral economics
public choice
risk perception
Questions to Reflect On
- How can policies align comfort with sustainability?
- What incentives make eco‑friendly choices appealing?
A Different Perspective
Convenient solutions may delay necessary systemic change.