--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: think we're still stuck in that…" description: "\"think we're still stuck in that agricultural mindset, where we imagine that we can shape the Earth. Sure, we can do that. But the Earth has the power t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/annalee-newitz-8659_can-do_think-we-re-still-stuck-in-that-agricult_2610948.jpg" --- # think we're still stuck in that agricultural mindset… ![“think we're still stuck in that agricultural mindset, where we imagine that we can shape the Earth. Sure, we can do that. But the Earth has the power to shape us much more powerfully. To survive climate change, we'll have to realize how dependent we are on our ecosystems for our own survival.” quote by Annalee Newitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/annalee-newitz-8659_can-do_think-we-re-still-stuck-in-that-agricult_2610948.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/annalee-newitz-8659_can-do_think-we-re-still-stuck-in-that-agricult_2610948.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/annalee-newitz-8659_can-do_think-we-re-still-stuck-in-that-agricult_2610948.jpg) > “think we're still stuck in that agricultural mindset, where we imagine that we can shape the Earth. Sure, we can do that. But the Earth has the power to shape us much more powerfully. To survive climate change, we'll have to realize how dependent we are on our ecosystems for our own survival.” [Annalee Newitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annalee-newitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human dependence on ecosystems means Earth shapes us more than we shape it; climate action requires recognizing this. **In simple terms:** Earth shapes us; we must respect ecosystems. Key Takeaway Adapt climate strategies to ecological interdependence. Themes environment climate dependence Mood urgent thoughtful Type activist philosophical When to use this quote - policy making - urban planning - education programs Key Concepts systems theory sustainability Questions to Reflect On - How can societies shift mindset toward ecosystem reliance? - What actions reduce ecological footprints? A Different Perspective Economic growth may resist ecological limits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agricultural Mindset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agricultural-mindset-2027842/) [Can do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Climate change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate-change/) [Dependent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dependent/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Ecosystems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ecosystems/) [Ecosystems Survival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ecosystems-survival-2027841/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Imagine that](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine-that/) [Mindset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mindset/) [Realizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realizing/) [Shape Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shape-earth-1482362/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Stuck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuck/) [Survival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survival/) [Survive Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survive-climate-2027840/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“The village that voted the earth was flat doubtless modified its own behavior and its system of physics accordingly, but its vote did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/the-village-that-voted-the-earth-was-flat-doubtless-modified-its-own/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [The great obstacle to discovering the shape of the earth, the continents, and the oceans was not ignorance, but the illusion of knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-boorstin/the-great-obstacle-to-discovering-the-shape-of-the-earth-the/) [Daniel J. Boorstin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-boorstin/) > [“Once the solar parallax is known,' they told me, 'once the necessary Degrees are measur'd, and the size and weight and shape of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pynchon/once-the-solar-parallax-is-known-they-told-me-once-the-necessary/) [Thomas Pynchon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pynchon/) > [ The ancients had little doubt about the true shape of the earth: "It's \[the world's\] shape has the rounded appearance of a perfect sphere.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-elder/the-ancients-had-little-doubt-about-the-true-shape-of-the-earth-it-s/) [Pliny the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-elder/) > [“If you think about it, everyone is behind someone and in front of someone. The nature of the sphere, right? No one gets left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-olin-unferth/if-you-think-about-it-everyone-is-behind-someone-and-in-front-of/) [Deb Olin Unferth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-olin-unferth/) > [“Would wheel square in shape if earth's box in shape?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/would-wheel-square-in-shape-if-earth-s-box-in-shape/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [There was a time when everyone thought that Earth was flat. Did this unanimous consensus make any difference to the shape of Earth?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-sina/there-was-a-time-when-everyone-thought-that-earth-was-flat-did-this/) [Ali Sina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-sina/) > [Eventually, humans invented agriculture, which could be understood as a way of turning the natural world into a tool for our use. There's evidence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/eventually-humans-invented-agriculture-which-could-be-understood-as-a/) [Annalee Newitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annalee-newitz/) > [There are definitely recurring themes in humanity's relationship with our environment. The biggest is probably adaptation, because humans are incredibly good at adapting to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/there-are-definitely-recurring-themes-in-humanity-s-relationship-with/) [Annalee Newitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annalee-newitz/) > [Cities should function more like ecosystems, or even metabolisms. When we build, we should be thinking about how we can integrate into the ecosystems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/cities-should-function-more-like-ecosystems-or-even-metabolisms-when/) [Annalee Newitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annalee-newitz/) > [The early Triassic was a period when the planet was recovering from the worst mass extinction it had ever known - that was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/the-early-triassic-was-a-period-when-the-planet-was-recovering-from/) [Annalee Newitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annalee-newitz/) > [Sometimes it's hard to take everyday concerns seriously when you think about vanished ecosystems that existed 300 million years ago and were eradicated by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/sometimes-it-s-hard-to-take-everyday-concerns-seriously-when-you/) [Annalee Newitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annalee-newitz/) > [Imagining the world without us is a recipe for despair and paralysis. I actually think it's more helpful to imagine the world before us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/imagining-the-world-without-us-is-a-recipe-for-despair-and-paralysis/) [Annalee Newitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annalee-newitz/) > [Let us be good stewards of the Earth we inherited. All of us have to share the Earth's fragile ecosystems and precious resources, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/let-us-be-good-stewards-of-the-earth-we-inherited-all-of-us-have-to/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [In many environments, take away the ants and there would be partial collapses in many of the land ecosystems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/in-many-environments-take-away-the-ants-and-there-would-be-partial/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) ## More by Annalee Newitz > [“She wasn’t sure which motivation made better fuel for innovation: naïve but ethical beliefs, or the need to survive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/she-wasn-t-sure-which-motivation-made-better-fuel-for-innovation-na/) [Annalee Newitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annalee-newitz/) > [Humans are a great survivor species but our survival will be pretty grim if all of the plants and animals we depend on die…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/humans-are-a-great-survivor-species-but-our-survival-will-be-pretty/) [Annalee Newitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annalee-newitz/) > [Amphibians are dying out like crazy, and frogs and salamanders may be largely extinct by the end of the twenty-first century. Imagine an animal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/amphibians-are-dying-out-like-crazy-and-frogs-and-salamanders-may-be/) [Annalee Newitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annalee-newitz/) > [“It didn’t just boost your concentration. It made you enjoy work. You couldn’t wait to get back to the keyboard, the breadboard, the gesture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/it-didn-t-just-boost-your-concentration-it-made-you-enjoy-work-you/) [Annalee Newitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annalee-newitz/) > [Survivor species tend to have huge populations, so they can afford to lose many individuals and still survive as a species. They also tend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/survivor-species-tend-to-have-huge-populations-so-they-can-afford-to/) [Annalee Newitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annalee-newitz/) > [In fact, the early demographer Thomas Malthus believes that the only way the human population would ever check itself was by running headlong into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/in-fact-the-early-demographer-thomas-malthus-believes-that-the-only/) [Annalee Newitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annalee-newitz/) > [“ For all the robots who question their programming. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/for-all-the-robots-who-question-their-programming/) [Annalee Newitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annalee-newitz/) > [Obviously it depends on how you define a word like "evolution," because of course we have been evolving - both biologically and culturally -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/obviously-it-depends-on-how-you-define-a-word-like-evolution-because/) [Annalee Newitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annalee-newitz/) > [I try to be realistic and pragmatic. I have a lot of hope for humanity as a species, but obviously as individuals we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/i-try-to-be-realistic-and-pragmatic-i-have-a-lot-of-hope-for-humanity/) [Annalee Newitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annalee-newitz/) > [The fact is that humans have been shaping the genetics of what they eat for thousands of years. Genetic engineering simply speeds up the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/the-fact-is-that-humans-have-been-shaping-the-genetics-of-what-they/) [Annalee Newitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annalee-newitz/) > [In terms of fiction, there are a number of writers who are thinking about the future of the environment whose work complements mine. Kim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/in-terms-of-fiction-there-are-a-number-of-writers-who-are-thinking/) [Annalee Newitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annalee-newitz/) > [“As UC Berkeley economics professor Brad DeLong put it to me: You get famine if the price of food spikes far beyond that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/as-uc-berkeley-economics-professor-brad-delong-put-it-to-me-you-get/) [Annalee Newitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annalee-newitz/) > [“Plus, it was made by Zaxy, the company behind Smartifex, Brillicent, and other popular work enhancement drugs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/plus-it-was-made-by-zaxy-the-company-behind-smartifex-brillicent-and/) [Annalee Newitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annalee-newitz/) > [That said, a lot of people buy products with "green" in the brand name, but make no attempt to understand what it would really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/that-said-a-lot-of-people-buy-products-with-green-in-the-brand-name/) [Annalee Newitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annalee-newitz/) > [“Every master loves to fuck a slave. It is a law of nature, or maybe culture.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/every-master-loves-to-fuck-a-slave-it-is-a-law-of-nature-or-maybe/) [Annalee Newitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annalee-newitz/) [Explore all 78 Annalee Newitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annalee-newitz/) ## More Can do quotes > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [If I had a million dollars, I just wouldn't just completely set back. I'd have to get out there and show my face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-i-just-wouldn-t-just-completely-set-back-i/) [Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/) > [Anybody can be Prince Charming one day a year, with the dinner and the flowers and all that. But you know what impresses me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-howard/anybody-can-be-prince-charming-one-day-a-year-with-the-dinner-and-the/) [Ryan Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-howard/) > [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [The amount of things you can do with a kettlebell is unsurpassed by any other training equipment - dumbbells, resistance machines, free weights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/the-amount-of-things-you-can-do-with-a-kettlebell-is-unsurpassed-by/) [Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/) > [It's nice when you've done enough movies that you can do your own anthology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/it-s-nice-when-you-ve-done-enough-movies-that-you-can-do-your-own/) [John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/) > [If people don't have their own vision, all they can do is 'sign-up' for someone else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-senge/if-people-don-t-have-their-own-vision-all-they-can-do-is-sign-up-for/) [Peter Senge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-senge/) > [The one thing that flies in the face of all human history and experience, is that the government can do a superior job than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/the-one-thing-that-flies-in-the-face-of-all-human-history-and/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [...what I can do is offer myself, wholehearted and present, to walk with the people I love through the fear and the mess. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/what-i-can-do-is-offer-myself-wholehearted-and-present-to-walk-with/) [Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/) > [Whether that's speaking up in your job or asking for a promotion or saying, 'I think I can do that.' Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [A professional is a man who can do his job when he doesn't feel like it. An amateur is a man who can't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-agate/a-professional-is-a-man-who-can-do-his-job-when-he-doesn-t-feel-like/) [James Agate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-agate/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [I'm not an educated man. I only know what I'm told, and I'm not told that much; I have no frame of reference for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-m-not-an-educated-man-i-only-know-what-i-m-told-and-i-m-not-told/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) [Browse all 5,673 Can do quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "think we're still stuck in that agricultural mindset, where we imagine that we can shape the Earth. Sure, we can do that. But the Earth has the power to shape us much more powerfully. To survive climate change, we'll have to realize how dependent we are on our ecosystems for our own survival.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Annalee Newitz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/think-we-re-still-stuck-in-that-agricultural-mindset-where-we-imagine/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Can do" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/think-we-re-still-stuck-in-that-agricultural-mindset-where-we-imagine/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/annalee-newitz-8659_can-do_think-we-re-still-stuck-in-that-agricult_2610948.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/annalee-newitz-8659_can-do_think-we-re-still-stuck-in-that-agricult_2610948.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/annalee-newitz-8659_can-do_think-we-re-still-stuck-in-that-agricult_2610948.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“think we're still stuck in that agricultural mindset, where we imagine that we can shape the Earth. Sure, we…” — Annalee Newitz", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Annalee Newitz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annalee-newitz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "think we're still stuck in that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/think-we-re-still-stuck-in-that-agricultural-mindset-where-we-imagine/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annalee-newitz/think-we-re-still-stuck-in-that-agricultural-mindset-where-we-imagine/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```