--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The people who control the condition in…" description: "\"The people who control the condition in which we live have no reason to think beyond more than the next five or 10 years.\" — B. F. Skinner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bee/b-f-skinner-4812_beyond_the-people-who-control-the-condition-in_508761.png" --- # The people who control the condition in which we live have… ![“The people who control the condition in which we live have no reason to think beyond more than the next five or 10 years.” quote by B. F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bee/b-f-skinner-4812_beyond_the-people-who-control-the-condition-in_508761.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bee/b-f-skinner-4812_beyond_the-people-who-control-the-condition-in_508761.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bee/b-f-skinner-4812_beyond_the-people-who-control-the-condition-in_508761.png) > “The people who control the condition in which we live have no reason to think beyond more than the next five or 10 years.” [B. F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People in power often focus only on short‑term outcomes, ignoring long‑term consequences. **In simple terms:** Power limits vision to the near future. Key Takeaway Consider long‑term impacts before acting. Themes power short‑term thinking future planning Mood cautious critical Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - policy making - corporate strategy - environmental planning Key Concepts behavioral economics systems thinking Questions to Reflect On - How might we encourage leaders to adopt longer horizons? - What incentives could shift focus beyond five years? A Different Perspective Short‑term focus can ignore systemic risks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) ## Related quotes > [I don't like to think 10 years down the road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gore/i-don-t-like-to-think-10-years-down-the-road/) [Martin Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gore/) > [The problem is that people think once and talk 10 times. It's better to think 10 times before you talk once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marko-arnautovic/the-problem-is-that-people-think-once-and-talk-10-times-it-s-better/) [Marko Arnautovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marko-arnautovic/) > [You should think about for the next 10 years, you're going to be giving out 3-5% of the company every year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/you-should-think-about-for-the-next-10-years-you-re-going-to-be/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) > [“A critical thinker can think of 10 different reasons why something might have happened, while others are quick to anger over an assumption.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/a-critical-thinker-can-think-of-10-different-reasons-why-something/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [I was told that since I am such an opinionated woman, people would think 10 times before approaching me for their films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pooja-bhatt/i-was-told-that-since-i-am-such-an-opinionated-woman-people-would/) [Pooja Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pooja-bhatt/) > [“Friendship is Divine; think anything, get everything. (10 Alone; Vikrmn)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrmn/friendship-is-divine-think-anything-get-everything-10-alone-vikrmn/) Vikrmn > [“You’re the voice of reason. You think of the things we forget about.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendare-blake/you-re-the-voice-of-reason-you-think-of-the-things-we-forget-about/) [Kendare Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendare-blake/) > [You are never upset for the reason you think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/you-are-never-upset-for-the-reason-you-think/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [I'm trying to make some sense out of the phrase "Everything happens for a reason," and I think I've figured out what the reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecelia-ahern/i-m-trying-to-make-some-sense-out-of-the-phrase-everything-happens/) [Cecelia Ahern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecelia-ahern/) > [The low points are there for a good reason. 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Question is, Is it worth it ?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leeanna-wilson/i-never-really-cared-never-had-reason-to-when-i-think-about-it-i/) [Leeanna Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leeanna-wilson/) > [“Because I think everything happens for a reason and I think we need to go through shit sometimes to strengthen ourselves for whatever happens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karina-halle/because-i-think-everything-happens-for-a-reason-and-i-think-we-need/) [Karina Halle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karina-halle/) > [I don't think happiness is necessarily the reason we're here. I think we're here to learn and evolve, and the pursuit of knowledge is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/i-don-t-think-happiness-is-necessarily-the-reason-we-re-here-i-think/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) > [I am never upset for the reason I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-schucman/i-am-never-upset-for-the-reason-i-think/) [Helen Schucman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-schucman/) ## More by B. F. Skinner > [To require a citizen to sign a loyalty oath is to destroy some of the loyalty he could otherwise claim, since any subsequent loyal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner/to-require-a-citizen-to-sign-a-loyalty-oath-is-to-destroy-some-of-the/) [B. F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner/) > [A first principle not formally recognized by scientific methodologists: when you run into something interesting, drop everything else and study it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner/a-first-principle-not-formally-recognized-by-scientific/) [B. F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner/) > [The problem of far greater importance remains to be solved. Rather than build a world in which we shall all live well, we must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner/the-problem-of-far-greater-importance-remains-to-be-solved-rather/) [B. F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner/) > [I remember when I was a freshman in college, I was still somewhat bothered by... worried... about religion. I remember going to this professor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner/i-remember-when-i-was-a-freshman-in-college-i-was-still-somewhat/) [B. F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner/) > [Those who have had anything useful to say have said it far too often, and those who have had nothing to say have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner/those-who-have-had-anything-useful-to-say-have-said-it-far-too-often/) [B. F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner/) > [I would be opposed to any kind of totalitarian control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner/i-would-be-opposed-to-any-kind-of-totalitarian-control/) [B. F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner/) > [A disappointment is not generally an oversight. It might just be the best one can do the situation being what it is. The genuine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner/a-disappointment-is-not-generally-an-oversight-it-might-just-be-the/) [B. F. 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Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner/) > [To say that... behaviors have different 'meanings' is only another way of saying that they are controlled by different variables.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner/to-say-that-behaviors-have-different-meanings-is-only-another-way-of/) [B. F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner/) [Explore all 105 B. F. Skinner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner/) ## More Beyond quotes > [A monkey is unaware that atoms exist. Likewise, our brainpower may not stretch to the deepest aspects of reality. 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