--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Considering the timespan of human…" description: "\"“Considering the timespan of human evolution and the vast potential of humankind -- as evidenced by great genius and leadership, inventions and discove..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/alex-gerber-jr-53966_art_considering-the-timespan-of-human-evolut_904828.jpg" --- # Considering the timespan of human evolution and the vast… ![“Considering the timespan of human evolution and the vast potential of humankind -- as evidenced by great genius and leadership, inventions and discoveries, works of art and literature -- it is lamentable that the economic and political systems of 'advanced' cultures are still based on the…” quote by Alex Gerber Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/alex-gerber-jr-53966_art_considering-the-timespan-of-human-evolut_904828.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/alex-gerber-jr-53966_art_considering-the-timespan-of-human-evolut_904828.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/748/alex-gerber-jr-53966_art_considering-the-timespan-of-human-evolut_904828.jpg) > ““Considering the timespan of human evolution and the vast potential of humankind -- as evidenced by great genius and leadership, inventions and discoveries, works of art and literature -- it is lamentable that the economic and political systems of 'advanced' cultures are still based on the unenlightened rationales that 'more is better' and 'might makes right.' In the name of 'survival of the fittest' and ensuring 'vital interests,' our economic system creates an ever-widening gap between rich and poor as it dismantles the environment upon which we all depend. Even 'lower' animals generally do not foul their own nests.”” [Alex Gerber Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-gerber-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human systems prioritize competition and growth over ecological balance, widening inequality and harming the planet. **In simple terms:** Societies value power and profit over sustainability and fairness. Key Takeaway Rethink values, prioritize equity and ecological stewardship. Themes inequality environment politics economics ethics Mood concerned critical hopeful Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - policy reform - community activism - educational curricula - corporate responsibility Key Concepts sustainability social justice systems thinking Questions to Reflect On - How can societies balance progress with planetary health? - What alternatives to “more is better” exist? A Different Perspective Economic growth alone cannot ensure long‑term survival without environmental limits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advanced Cultures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advanced-cultures-1275324/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art And Literature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-and-literature/) [Economic system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic-system/) [Human evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-evolution/) [Humankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humankind/) [Humankind Evidenced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humankind-evidenced-1275326/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Potential Humankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/potential-humankind-1275325/) [Rationales Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rationales-better-1275327/) [Rich and poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rich-and-poor/) ## Related quotes > [Advanced cultures are usually sophisticated enough, or have been sophisticated enough at some point in their pasts, to realize that foxes shouldn't be relied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-jacobs/advanced-cultures-are-usually-sophisticated-enough-or-have-been/) [Jane Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-jacobs/) > [“As writers we intend to make a difference, to alter people's lives for the greater good. . .this is why we write, to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-gutkind/as-writers-we-intend-to-make-a-difference-to-alter-people-s-lives-for/) [Lee Gutkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-gutkind/) > [There is so much in the world for us all if we only have the eyes to see it, and the heart to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-so-much-in-the-world-for-us-all-if-we-only-have-the-eyes-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not totally comfortable with the ways in which our culture monetises art and literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-rooney/i-m-not-totally-comfortable-with-the-ways-in-which-our-culture/) [Sally Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-rooney/) > [“One day after the exams, the teachers sat at their desks correcting papers while the pupils read comics, played chess or cards or talked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alasdair-gray/one-day-after-the-exams-the-teachers-sat-at-their-desks-correcting/) [Alasdair Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alasdair-gray/) > [The sinews of art and literature, like those of war, are money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/the-sinews-of-art-and-literature-like-those-of-war-are-money/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [All great art and literature is propaganda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/all-great-art-and-literature-is-propaganda/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“He accepted the deformity which had made life so hard for him; he knew that it had warped his character, but no he saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maughamset-maugham/he-accepted-the-deformity-which-had-made-life-so-hard-for-him-he-knew/) [W. Somerset Maughamset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maughamset-maugham/) > [In other countries, art and literature are left to a lot of shabby bums living in attics and feeding on booze and spaghetti, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/in-other-countries-art-and-literature-are-left-to-a-lot-of-shabby/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) > [I think America is really well-positioned, because we do train people to be creative and sometimes resist authority, which helps in being an innovator.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/i-think-america-is-really-well-positioned-because-we-do-train-people/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [“Wealth protects and animates art and literature, as the dew enlivens the fields." Nonsense! Wealth animates art and literature, as the whistle of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/various/wealth-protects-and-animates-art-and-literature-as-the-dew-enlivens/) [Various](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/various/) > [I don't really believe in political art. I feel in my heart the purpose of art transcends cultural and class and politics. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/i-don-t-really-believe-in-political-art-i-feel-in-my-heart-the/) [Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/) > [The contemporary thing in art and literature is the thing which doesn't make enough difference to the people of that generation so that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/the-contemporary-thing-in-art-and-literature-is-the-thing-which-doesn/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [“When was the last time an American president found it worth his while to write a speech on the importance of art and literature?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viet-thanh-nguyen/when-was-the-last-time-an-american-president-found-it-worth-his-while/) [Viet Thanh Nguyen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viet-thanh-nguyen/) > [The study of history and philosophy, accompanied by some acquaintance with art and literature, should be for lawyers and engineers as well as for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/the-study-of-history-and-philosophy-accompanied-by-some-acquaintance/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) ## More by Alex Gerber Jr > [“Should continual economic growth be the predominant model, the highest purpose of human civilization? Continual growth is one characteristic of cancer that eventually destroys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-gerber-jr/should-continual-economic-growth-be-the-predominant-model-the-highest/) [Alex Gerber Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-gerber-jr/) > [“Transposed to the social sphere, holism becomes apparent as a rebalancing of values and attitudes that have become distorted -- moving from aggressive to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-gerber-jr/transposed-to-the-social-sphere-holism-becomes-apparent-as-a/) [Alex Gerber Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-gerber-jr/) > [“Because there is simply too much information to store in one's head, education must show how to go about learning -- not only how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-gerber-jr/because-there-is-simply-too-much-information-to-store-in-one-s-head/) [Alex Gerber Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-gerber-jr/) > [“It is argued that if we try to save as many of the endangered fishes, bugs, and birds as possible, the economy will suffer.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-gerber-jr/it-is-argued-that-if-we-try-to-save-as-many-of-the-endangered-fishes/) [Alex Gerber Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-gerber-jr/) > [“As the systems theorist Fritjof Capra points out, humanity's social, political, economic, and environmental plights are all manifestations of a cultural crisis brought about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-gerber-jr/as-the-systems-theorist-fritjof-capra-points-out-humanity-s-social/) [Alex Gerber Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-gerber-jr/) [Explore all 6 Alex Gerber Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-gerber-jr/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. 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