--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are living in a society that is…" description: "\"We are living in a society that is totally dependent on science and high technology, and yet most of us are effectively alienated and excluded from its..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aca/ann-druyan-13605_bases_we-are-living-in-a-society-that-is-total_63625.jpg" --- # We are living in a society that is totally dependent on… ![“We are living in a society that is totally dependent on science and high technology, and yet most of us are effectively alienated and excluded from its workings, from the values of science, the methods of science, and the language of science. A good place to start would be for as many of us as…” quote by Ann Druyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aca/ann-druyan-13605_bases_we-are-living-in-a-society-that-is-total_63625.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aca/ann-druyan-13605_bases_we-are-living-in-a-society-that-is-total_63625.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aca/ann-druyan-13605_bases_we-are-living-in-a-society-that-is-total_63625.jpg) > “We are living in a society that is totally dependent on science and high technology, and yet most of us are effectively alienated and excluded from its workings, from the values of science, the methods of science, and the language of science. A good place to start would be for as many of us as possible to begin to understand the decision-making and the basis for those decisions, and to act independently and not be manipulated into thinking one thing or another, but to learn how to think. That's what science does.” [Ann Druyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-druyan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Science shapes modern life, yet many lack insight into its processes, values, and language, leading to alienation and manipulation. **In simple terms:** Science literacy empowers independent thought. Key Takeaway Understand scientific decision‑making to avoid manipulation. Themes Science literacy Empowerment Critical thinking Societal dependence Alienation Mood Concerned Motivated Skeptical Type Observational Inspirational When to use this quote - Public policy debates - Education curricula - Media consumption - Community forums - Personal decision‑making Key Concepts Decision‑making Values Methods Language Practical Applications - Civic education programs - Science communication workshops Questions to Reflect On - How can individuals verify scientific claims? - What role should institutions play in fostering scientific literacy? A Different Perspective Some argue that expertise, not lay understanding, should guide decisions, suggesting broad literacy may oversimplify complex science. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Decision making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision-making/) [High technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high-technology/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) ## Related quotes > [We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/we-live-in-a-society-exquisitely-dependent-on-science-and-technology-2/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [ We are very concerned all the time with figuring out new technologies and advances in science, but really \[while\] our future is dependent on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michal-rovner/we-are-very-concerned-all-the-time-with-figuring-out-new-technologies/) [Michal Rovner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michal-rovner/) > [All the sciences have a relation, greater or less, to human nature; and...however wide any of them may seem to run from it, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/all-the-sciences-have-a-relation-greater-or-less-to-human-nature-and/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology and yet have cleverly arranged things so that almost no one understands science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/we-live-in-a-society-exquisitely-dependent-on-science-and-technology/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [We are more dependent on science and engineering than at any other time in history. However, there is plenty of evidence that far too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-winston/we-are-more-dependent-on-science-and-engineering-than-at-any-other/) [Robert Winston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-winston/) > [Scientists are human. We have our blind spots and prejudices. Science is a mechanism designed to ferret them out. Problem is we aren't always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/scientists-are-human-we-have-our-blind-spots-and-prejudices-science/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [America may say that it values science, but it sure as hell doesn't want to pay for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-jahren/america-may-say-that-it-values-science-but-it-sure-as-hell-doesn-t/) [Hope Jahren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-jahren/) > [Any high school boy or girl knows how to calculate the force with which a stone he or she throws will hit someone in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-gomatam/any-high-school-boy-or-girl-knows-how-to-calculate-the-force-with/) Ravi Gomatam > [We must give as much weight to the arousal of the emotions and to the expression of moral and esthetic values as we now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/we-must-give-as-much-weight-to-the-arousal-of-the-emotions-and-to-the-2/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [Science has nothing to be ashamed of even in the ruins of Nagasaki. The shame is theirs who appeal to other values than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/science-has-nothing-to-be-ashamed-of-even-in-the-ruins-of-nagasaki/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [“The values of science and the values of democracy are concordant, in many cases indistinguishable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-values-of-science-and-the-values-of-democracy-are-concordant-in-2/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [The values of science and the values of democracy are concordant, in many cases indistinguishable. Science and democracy began - in their civilized incarnations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-values-of-science-and-the-values-of-democracy-are-concordant-in/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [I was a Science student and it is often believed that all those who study Science are only good in academics, so many students…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manushi-chhillar/i-was-a-science-student-and-it-is-often-believed-that-all-those-who/) [Manushi Chhillar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manushi-chhillar/) > [I have faith that science is a good thing. Seriously, I'd say that I am very much in awe of nature. In fact, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-m-church/i-have-faith-that-science-is-a-good-thing-seriously-i-d-say-that-i-am/) [George M. Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-m-church/) > [Science is a good thing. News reporters are good things too. But it's never a good idea to put them in the same room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/science-is-a-good-thing-news-reporters-are-good-things-too-but-it-s/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) ## More by Ann Druyan > [If you have a beating heart, that's good enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-druyan/if-you-have-a-beating-heart-that-s-good-enough/) [Ann Druyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-druyan/) > [“It's not for any one generation to see the completed picture. That's the point. The picture is never completed. There is always so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-druyan/it-s-not-for-any-one-generation-to-see-the-completed-picture-that-s/) [Ann Druyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-druyan/) > [“Why do we separate the scientific, which is just a way of searching for the truth, from what we hold sacred, which are those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-druyan/why-do-we-separate-the-scientific-which-is-just-a-way-of-searching/) [Ann Druyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-druyan/) > [I believe that we are a story-driven species and that we understand how things are put together, in the context of narrative. It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-druyan/i-believe-that-we-are-a-story-driven-species-and-that-we-understand/) [Ann Druyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-druyan/) > [The Universe revealed by science is one of far more awesome grandeur than any religion has ever posited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-druyan/the-universe-revealed-by-science-is-one-of-far-more-awesome-grandeur/) [Ann Druyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-druyan/) > [No single step in the persuit of enlightenment should ever be considered sacred; only the search was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-druyan/no-single-step-in-the-persuit-of-enlightenment-should-ever-be/) [Ann Druyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-druyan/) > [People think that if you are a scientist you have to give up that joy of discovery, that passion, that sense of the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-druyan/people-think-that-if-you-are-a-scientist-you-have-to-give-up-that-joy/) [Ann Druyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-druyan/) > [Carl did not want to believe. He wanted to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-druyan/carl-did-not-want-to-believe-he-wanted-to-know/) [Ann Druyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-druyan/) > [If you are searching for sacred knowledge and not just a palliative for your fears, then you will train yourself to be a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-druyan/if-you-are-searching-for-sacred-knowledge-and-not-just-a-palliative/) [Ann Druyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-druyan/) > [We smoked the way other American families would have wine with dinner. For us, it was our sacrament. It was something that made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-druyan/we-smoked-the-way-other-american-families-would-have-wine-with-dinner/) [Ann Druyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-druyan/) > [The greatest thing that science teaches you is the law of unintended consequences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-druyan/the-greatest-thing-that-science-teaches-you-is-the-law-of-unintended/) [Ann Druyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-druyan/) > [For most of the history of our species we were helpless to understand how nature works. We took every storm, drought, illness and comet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-druyan/for-most-of-the-history-of-our-species-we-were-helpless-to-understand/) [Ann Druyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-druyan/) > [Contrary to the fantasies of the fundamentalists, there was no deathbed conversion, no last minute refuge taken in a comforting vision of a heaven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-druyan/contrary-to-the-fantasies-of-the-fundamentalists-there-was-no/) [Ann Druyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-druyan/) > [The only gratification that science denies to us is deception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-druyan/the-only-gratification-that-science-denies-to-us-is-deception/) [Ann Druyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-druyan/) > [Well, I actually grew up in the sixties. I feel very lucky, actually, that that was my slice of time that I was dealt.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-druyan/well-i-actually-grew-up-in-the-sixties-i-feel-very-lucky-actually/) [Ann Druyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-druyan/) [Explore all 49 Ann Druyan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-druyan/) ## More Bases quotes > [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [I don't want to go into space because of war. I think we would if it was triggered. If China said they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-go-into-space-because-of-war-i-think-we-would-if-it/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [According to the best research, less than 3% of Americans have written goals, and less than 1% review and rewrite their goals on a daily basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/according-to-the-best-research-less-than-3-of-americans-have-written/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [When the Lord Jesus Christ became my surety . . . He went to Calvary's cross, and all my guilt was charged against Him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-allen-ironside/when-the-lord-jesus-christ-became-my-surety-he-went-to-calvary-s/) [Henry Allen Ironside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-allen-ironside/) > [I'm in a business where there's complete anarchy. You can't control it - you can only react to it. The control that people traditionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/i-m-in-a-business-where-there-s-complete-anarchy-you-can-t-control-it/) [Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/) > [This tendency to avoid problems and the emotional suffering inherent in them is the primary basis of all human mental illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/this-tendency-to-avoid-problems-and-the-emotional-suffering-inherent/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [There are dangers in consensus: it could be an attempt to satisfy people holding no particular views about anything. ... No great party can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/there-are-dangers-in-consensus-it-could-be-an-attempt-to-satisfy/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [There's no way to have a peace agreement unless the mediator or negotiator looks at both sides from an equal basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/there-s-no-way-to-have-a-peace-agreement-unless-the-mediator-or/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [Coercion is the basis of every law in the universe,--human or divine. A law is not law without coercion behind it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/coercion-is-the-basis-of-every-law-in-the-universe-human-or-divine-a/) [James A. 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That is a dramatic situation, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/we-have-committed-ourselves-to-pursue-joint-policies-but-then/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) Browse all 2,701 Bases quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We are living in a society that is totally dependent on science and high technology, and yet most of us are effectively alienated and excluded from its workings, from the values of science, the methods of science, and the language of science. A good place to start would be for as many of us as possible to begin to understand the decision-making and the basis for those decisions, and to act independently and not be manipulated into thinking one thing or another, but to learn how to think. 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