--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: With apologies to the green movement…" description: "\"With apologies to the green movement, \"sustainability\" is a myth. History and archaeology show that societies are always moving to the edge of crisis, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/arthur-demarest-40360_apology_with-apologies-to-the-green-movement-sus_2960076.jpg" --- # With apologies to the green movement, "sustainability" is… ![“With apologies to the green movement, "sustainability" is a myth. History and archaeology show that societies are always moving to the edge of crisis, "falling forward" through growth, but then responding often successfully to the problems created. What we can hope for is that with a somewhat more…” quote by Arthur Demarest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/arthur-demarest-40360_apology_with-apologies-to-the-green-movement-sus_2960076.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/arthur-demarest-40360_apology_with-apologies-to-the-green-movement-sus_2960076.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f15/arthur-demarest-40360_apology_with-apologies-to-the-green-movement-sus_2960076.jpg) > “With apologies to the green movement, "sustainability" is a myth. History and archaeology show that societies are always moving to the edge of crisis, "falling forward" through growth, but then responding often successfully to the problems created. What we can hope for is that with a somewhat more controlled level of growth, and with longer-term preparations for change, we can keep responding to the inevitable smaller crises, as they arise, and continue to postpone until later and later the, perhaps ultimately inevitable, end of our civilization.” [Arthur Demarest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-demarest/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sustainability is portrayed as a myth; societies repeatedly grow to crises but adapt, suggesting controlled growth and foresight may mitigate collapse. **In simple terms:** Growth leads to crises, adaptation follows. Key Takeaway Plan growth, prepare for change. Themes environment history growth Mood analytical concerned Type critical strategic When to use this quote - urban planning - resource management - policy making Key Concepts systems theory resilience Questions to Reflect On - Is perpetual growth sustainable? - How can we balance growth and stability? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apology/) [Archaeology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/archaeology/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crisis/) [End Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-civilization-1220542/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Green movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/green-movement/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Inevitable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inevitable/) [Movement Sustainability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement-sustainability-1024017/) [Moving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving/) [Myth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myth/) [Preparation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preparation/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Sustainability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sustainability/) [Sustainability Myth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sustainability-myth-4503499/) ## Related quotes > [Permaculture is not the movement of sustainability and it is not the philosophy behind it; it is the problem-solving approach the movement and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-hemenway/permaculture-is-not-the-movement-of-sustainability-and-it-is-not-the/) [Toby Hemenway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-hemenway/) > [The "environmental movement" is becoming an economic movement, is joining the social justice movement, is becoming a sustainability movement. It's leaving behind the "People's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/the-environmental-movement-is-becoming-an-economic-movement-is/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [Air power may either end war or end civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/air-power-may-either-end-war-or-end-civilization/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [It would be wonderful if I could see the end of civilization during my lifetime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayao-miyazaki/it-would-be-wonderful-if-i-could-see-the-end-of-civilization-during/) [Hayao Miyazaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayao-miyazaki/) > [The study of history, it seems to me, leads to the conviction that all important events tend toward the same end - the civilization…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madame-de-stael/the-study-of-history-it-seems-to-me-leads-to-the-conviction-that-all/) [Madame de Stael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madame-de-stael/) > [“if he had said otherwise. To admit that a thermonuclear catastrophe would be the end of civilization and of the biosphere would be, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/if-he-had-said-otherwise-to-admit-that-a-thermonuclear-catastrophe/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“We tried to make a beautiful world here, the voices mumble. There were those who saw the end of civilization as an opportunity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/issac-marion/we-tried-to-make-a-beautiful-world-here-the-voices-mumble-there-were/) [Issac Marion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/issac-marion/) > [The United States, and other advanced nations, will someday be able to produce instruments of death so terrible the world will be in abject…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/the-united-states-and-other-advanced-nations-will-someday-be-able-to/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [We may anticipate a state of affairs in which two Great Powers will each be in a position to put an end to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-robert-oppenheimer/we-may-anticipate-a-state-of-affairs-in-which-two-great-powers-will/) [J. Robert Oppenheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-robert-oppenheimer/) > [I am interested in climate change and other topics too. But this thing is so huge, in the worst case we are talking about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rusty-schweickart/i-am-interested-in-climate-change-and-other-topics-too-but-this-thing/) [Rusty Schweickart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rusty-schweickart/) > [A warming of this magnitude would risk the end of civilization as we know it by the end of this century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-barrett/a-warming-of-this-magnitude-would-risk-the-end-of-civilization-as-we/) [Peter Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-barrett/) > [It is insane that two men, sitting on opposite sides of the world, should be able to decide to bring an end to civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/it-is-insane-that-two-men-sitting-on-opposite-sides-of-the-world/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [“And here was the moment. The end of it all, for civilization was merely another name for friendship, and friendship was coming to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-pears/and-here-was-the-moment-the-end-of-it-all-for-civilization-was-merely/) [Iain Pears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-pears/) > [I feel that I'm in a very interesting position, where I'm standing back to look at this change, at this moment in history of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroshi-sugimoto/i-feel-that-i-m-in-a-very-interesting-position-where-i-m-standing/) [Hiroshi Sugimoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiroshi-sugimoto/) > [Peace on earth would mean the end of civilization as we know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-heller/peace-on-earth-would-mean-the-end-of-civilization-as-we-know-it/) [Joseph Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-heller/) ## More by Arthur Demarest > [“When you examine societies just as self-confident as ours that unraveled and were eventually swallowed by the jungle...you see that the balance between ecology…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-demarest/when-you-examine-societies-just-as-self-confident-as-ours-that/) [Arthur Demarest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-demarest/) > [When there is pressure for leaders to respond to problems or crises, they often simply intensify their efforts in their particular defined sphere of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-demarest/when-there-is-pressure-for-leaders-to-respond-to-problems-or-crises/) [Arthur Demarest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-demarest/) > [These strengths, and our civilization in general, have reached an apogee with the end of the apocalyptic threats of the Cold War and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-demarest/these-strengths-and-our-civilization-in-general-have-reached-an/) [Arthur Demarest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-demarest/) > [One of our great strength, world capitalism, is the most successful economic system possible, but has also become one of shorter and shorter cycles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-demarest/one-of-our-great-strength-world-capitalism-is-the-most-successful/) [Arthur Demarest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-demarest/) > [The key strengths of civilizations are also their central weaknesses. You can see that from the fact that the golden ages of civilizations are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-demarest/the-key-strengths-of-civilizations-are-also-their-central-weaknesses/) [Arthur Demarest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-demarest/) > ["Hypercoherence" is one of the most dangerous threats to the long-term survival of our civilization. Hypercoherence is the close efficient linkage of all parts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-demarest/hypercoherence-is-one-of-the-most-dangerous-threats-to-the-long-term/) [Arthur Demarest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-demarest/) > [The possible signs of a coming collapse are the same as the greatest strengths of Western civilization: democracy, capitalism, the generally peaceful linking of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-demarest/the-possible-signs-of-a-coming-collapse-are-the-same-as-the-greatest/) [Arthur Demarest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-demarest/) > [On the future of the U.S., or of Western civilization in general, I tend to be quite pessimistic. I would say that today I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-demarest/on-the-future-of-the-u-s-or-of-western-civilization-in-general-i-tend/) [Arthur Demarest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-demarest/) > [No society can sustain unlimited growth - none ever has. History demonstrates that expectations of infinite growth lead to collapse. Unfortunately, millennia of evidence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-demarest/no-society-can-sustain-unlimited-growth-none-ever-has-history/) [Arthur Demarest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-demarest/) > [Leaders may recognize that they are not addressing the real problems, but they rationalize their actions with the argument that they must first politically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-demarest/leaders-may-recognize-that-they-are-not-addressing-the-real-problems/) [Arthur Demarest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-demarest/) [Explore all 11 Arthur Demarest quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-demarest/) ## More Apology quotes > [The greatest act of courage is to be and to ownall of who you are—without apology, without excuses, without masks to cover the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/the-greatest-act-of-courage-is-to-be-and-to-ownall-of-who-you-are/) [Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/) > [Apologies are not pass/fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/apologies-are-not-pass-fail/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [“Why do we apologize for advocating for ourselves? Why do we apologize for taking up space that we are entitled to? Why do we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-tambascio/why-do-we-apologize-for-advocating-for-ourselves-why-do-we-apologize/) [Elizabeth Tambascio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-tambascio/) > [It's hard to say sorry when It's really your fault.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakii-retondo/it-s-hard-to-say-sorry-when-it-s-really-your-fault/) [Rakii Retondo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakii-retondo/) > [“A lady need never apologize. ~ Joseph de Bonaparte (Brother of Napoleon)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-pataki/a-lady-need-never-apologize-joseph-de-bonaparte-brother-of-napoleon/) [Allison Pataki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-pataki/) > [And apologies, once postponed, become harder and harder to make, and finally impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/and-apologies-once-postponed-become-harder-and-harder-to-make-and/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [In the formation of such a government, it is not only the right, but the indispensable duty of every citizen to examine the principles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-webster/in-the-formation-of-such-a-government-it-is-not-only-the-right-but/) [Noah Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-webster/) > [Apologizing does not always mean you are wrong, it just means that value your relationships more than your ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinier-bennett/apologizing-does-not-always-mean-you-are-wrong-it-just-means-that/) [Chinier Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinier-bennett/) > [If I can get enough signatures, to present an apology to slavery, I will present it to the President. The House of Representatives has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/if-i-can-get-enough-signatures-to-present-an-apology-to-slavery-i/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [“I don’t care if you’ve changed. I don’t care who you are now. I don’t need or want your explanations because what you did,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-young/i-don-t-care-if-you-ve-changed-i-don-t-care-who-you-are-now-i-don-t/) [Samantha Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-young/) > [I never said Kristen ruined my wedding. At the time, when a million other things had fallen apart that day, I felt like she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scheana-shay/i-never-said-kristen-ruined-my-wedding-at-the-time-when-a-million/) [Scheana Shay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scheana-shay/) > [The greatest form of maturity is at harvest time. This is when we must learn how to reap without complaint if the amounts are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/the-greatest-form-of-maturity-is-at-harvest-time-this-is-when-we-must/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [“It's clear he still feels something, but what? Is the whole reason he made such a big deal about wanting to talk to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-heywood/it-s-clear-he-still-feels-something-but-what-is-the-whole-reason-he/) [Carey Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-heywood/) > [I wasn't saying whatever they're saying I was saying. I'm sorry I said it really. I never meant it to be a lousy anti-religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-wasn-t-saying-whatever-they-re-saying-i-was-saying-i-m-sorry-i-said/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [For every person who atones, a hundred others find regret sufficient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/for-every-person-who-atones-a-hundred-others-find-regret-sufficient/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) [Browse all 1,300 Apology quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apology/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "With apologies to the green movement, \"sustainability\" is a myth. History and archaeology show that societies are always moving to the edge of crisis, \"falling forward\" through growth, but then responding often successfully to the problems created. 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