--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Absent the net, we certainly couldn't…" description: "\"Absent the net, we certainly couldn't have organized in 190 countries around the world. It's no substitution for face to face interaction - that's why ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1af/bill-mckibben-1057_absent_absent-the-net-we-certainly-couldn-t-hav_1416429.jpg" --- # Absent the net, we certainly couldn't have organized in… ![“Absent the net, we certainly couldn't have organized in 190 countries around the world. It's no substitution for face to face interaction - that's why we have "days of action" where people are in real contact with each other - but it's the cheap (and low-carbon) way to do an awful lot of the…” quote by Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1af/bill-mckibben-1057_absent_absent-the-net-we-certainly-couldn-t-hav_1416429.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1af/bill-mckibben-1057_absent_absent-the-net-we-certainly-couldn-t-hav_1416429.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1af/bill-mckibben-1057_absent_absent-the-net-we-certainly-couldn-t-hav_1416429.jpg) > “Absent the net, we certainly couldn't have organized in 190 countries around the world. It's no substitution for face to face interaction - that's why we have "days of action" where people are in real contact with each other - but it's the cheap (and low-carbon) way to do an awful lot of the planning and organizing. And we can build, for $20k, a website as good as one Exxon can build for $20 million.” [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Digital tools enable massive, low‑cost organization across borders, but they cannot replace personal, face‑to‑face interaction for deeper connection. **In simple terms:** Online platforms allow cheap global coordination, yet real‑world contact remains essential. Key Takeaway Leverage digital planning while prioritizing in‑person engagement. Themes organization technology environment community communication Mood pragmatic optimistic Type strategic inspirational When to use this quote - International NGOs - grassroots campaigns - virtual conferences - local meet‑ups - budget‑constrained projects Key Concepts Network effects cost efficiency carbon reduction Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance online efficiency with genuine personal interaction? - What strategies ensure virtual meetings foster real community? A Different Perspective Digital tools may widen participation but can also create superficial connections lacking depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [190 Countries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/190-countries-1191416/) [20K Website](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/20k-website-5005026/) [Absent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absent/) [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Around the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around-the-world/) [Awful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awful/) [Carbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carbon/) [Contact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contact/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Face to face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/face-to-face/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Interaction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interaction/) [Lows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lows/) [Millions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millions/) [Organized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organized/) [Organizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organizing/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Planning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planning/) [Planning Organizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planning-organizing-5005027/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Substitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/substitution/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Website](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/website/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Substitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-substitution-3062826/) ## Related quotes > [It's surprising how many people get bogged down in analysing, planning, and organizing when what they really need to do is take action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/it-s-surprising-how-many-people-get-bogged-down-in-analysing-planning/) [Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/) > [The central challenge for educational systems around the world is the substitution of effectiveness for popularity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-b-reeves/the-central-challenge-for-educational-systems-around-the-world-is-the/) [Douglas B. Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-b-reeves/) > [The beauty of Netflix is on the 28th of October they push a button and the film will be in 190 countries at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/the-beauty-of-netflix-is-on-the-28th-of-october-they-push-a-button/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [Luke Cage' breaking Netflix because it was the first show to air in 190 countries showed that people all around the world wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-missick/luke-cage-breaking-netflix-because-it-was-the-first-show-to-air-in/) [Simone Missick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-missick/) > [The Paris Agreement is an agreement that has really such a huge, huge level of credibility and strength. Not only was it signed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-espinosa/the-paris-agreement-is-an-agreement-that-has-really-such-a-huge-huge/) [Patricia Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-espinosa/) > [The reactions of organic magnesium compounds are of two kinds - reactions of substitution and reactions of addition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-grignard/the-reactions-of-organic-magnesium-compounds-are-of-two-kinds/) [Victor Grignard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-grignard/) > [ In the chapter on the nature of the atonement \[in the book saving Calvinism\] I argue that it is a mistake to think that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/in-the-chapter-on-the-nature-of-the-atonement-in-the-book-saving/) [Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-d-crisp/) > [Humility is not renunciation of pride but the substitution of one pride for another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/humility-is-not-renunciation-of-pride-but-the-substitution-of-one/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [The Courts must declare the sense of the law; and if they should be disposed to exercise will instead of judgement; the consequences would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/the-courts-must-declare-the-sense-of-the-law-and-if-they-should-be/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [The concept of substitution lies at the heart of both sin and salvation. For the essence of sin is man substituting himself for God,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/the-concept-of-substitution-lies-at-the-heart-of-both-sin-and/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [The language of Christianity is the language of substitution. It is not primarily the language of morals. God is not presented as a mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-rosenbladt/the-language-of-christianity-is-the-language-of-substitution-it-is/) [Rod Rosenbladt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-rosenbladt/) > [Government interference with the economic process represents a substitution of political for consumer objectives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-richman/government-interference-with-the-economic-process-represents-a/) [Sheldon Richman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-richman/) > [Out of time we cut 'days' and 'nights', 'summers' and 'winters.' We say what, each part of the sensible continuum is, and all these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/out-of-time-we-cut-days-and-nights-summers-and-winters-we-say-what/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [I prefer an income tax, but the truth is I am afraid of the discussion which will follow and the criticism which will ensue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/i-prefer-an-income-tax-but-the-truth-is-i-am-afraid-of-the-discussion/) [William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/) > [Management means, in the last analysis, the substitution of thought for brawn and muscle, of knowledge for folkways and superstition, and of cooperation for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/management-means-in-the-last-analysis-the-substitution-of-thought-for/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) ## More by Bill McKibben > [I try not to be either optimistic or pessimistic. I try not to think about outcomes on that scale. My job, it seems to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/i-try-not-to-be-either-optimistic-or-pessimistic-i-try-not-to-think/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [Oil companies are radical because they're willing to alter the chemical composition of the atmosphere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/oil-companies-are-radical-because-they-re-willing-to-alter-the/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [Whenever anyone challenges anything, the powers that be try to paint them as extremists or radicals or whatever. And I think that's actually nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/whenever-anyone-challenges-anything-the-powers-that-be-try-to-paint/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [My guess is that liberating the fossil fuel industry to frack anywhere they want will drive down the rate at which we're converting to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/my-guess-is-that-liberating-the-fossil-fuel-industry-to-frack/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [What makes us different? We're the creature that can decide not to do something that we are capable of doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/what-makes-us-different-we-re-the-creature-that-can-decide-not-to-do/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [“The snow was coming down so hard. It looked like the flakes were hurrying to get out of the sky so the next ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/the-snow-was-coming-down-so-hard-it-looked-like-the-flakes-were/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [Most of the men and women who vote in Congress each year to continue subsidies have taken campaign donations from big energy companies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/most-of-the-men-and-women-who-vote-in-congress-each-year-to-continue/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [“I’ve sat behind a microphone and listened for decades as Americans learned to stop talking with each other and start shouting instead. No discussions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/i-ve-sat-behind-a-microphone-and-listened-for-decades-as-americans/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [People in low-lying countries like Bangladesh with almost 140 million people who are managing to feed themselves, whose carbon emissions can't really be calculated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/people-in-low-lying-countries-like-bangladesh-with-almost-140-million/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [We're putting more carbon into the atmosphere than the atmosphere can absorb. And everybody told us when we started, coz we knew nothing when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/we-re-putting-more-carbon-into-the-atmosphere-than-the-atmosphere-can/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [Everything that the administration has done has been counterproductive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/everything-that-the-administration-has-done-has-been-counterproductive/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [We use the web to help people organize in the flesh, and then we take the images of those events and put them back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/we-use-the-web-to-help-people-organize-in-the-flesh-and-then-we-take/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [everyone knows, at some level, that the sharp line between "good weather" and "bad weather" is a fiction, that we need rain as surely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/everyone-knows-at-some-level-that-the-sharp-line-between-good-weather/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [The thing about global warming is that you can address it on a great number of levels - in fact you have to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/the-thing-about-global-warming-is-that-you-can-address-it-on-a-great/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) > [Where people aren't as deeply reliant on fossil fuel as in the United States, it's far easier for them to imagine change on this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/where-people-aren-t-as-deeply-reliant-on-fossil-fuel-as-in-the-united/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) [Explore all 299 Bill McKibben quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) ## More Absent quotes > [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. Given the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/majority-decisions-tend-to-be-made-without-engaging-the-systematic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In a general way, the literature of the twentieth century is essentially psychological; and psychology consists of describing states of the soul by displaying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/in-a-general-way-the-literature-of-the-twentieth-century-is/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [Emma was a shocking driver, simultaneously sloppy and petrified, and for the first fifty miles had been absent-mindedly driving with her spectacles on top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/emma-was-a-shocking-driver-simultaneously-sloppy-and-petrified-and/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [They are enthusiasts, devotees. Addicts. Something about the circus stirs their souls, and they ache for it when it is absent. They seek each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-morgenstern/they-are-enthusiasts-devotees-addicts-something-about-the-circus/) [Erin Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-morgenstern/) > [The interesting thing about an absent father is, for a child, you don't know he's absent. You just think he's... tardy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-majors/the-interesting-thing-about-an-absent-father-is-for-a-child-you-don-t/) [Jonathan Majors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-majors/) > [For my own part, I would rather be in company with a dead man than with an absent one; for if the dead man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-my-own-part-i-would-rather-be-in-company-with-a-dead-man-than/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If measure and symmetry are absent from any composition in any degree, ruin awaits both the ingredients and the composition... Measure and symmetry are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/if-measure-and-symmetry-are-absent-from-any-composition-in-any-degree/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [“You may not appreciate the presence of good health, but you will definitely regret the absence of good health, because health is happiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/you-may-not-appreciate-the-presence-of-good-health-but-you-will/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [... if we are ashamed to imitate our Lord's sufferings, which He endured for us, and to suffer as He suffered, it is obvious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/symeon-the-new-theologian/if-we-are-ashamed-to-imitate-our-lord-s-sufferings-which-he-endured/) [Symeon the New Theologian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/symeon-the-new-theologian/) > [It's Simon, he's missing." Ahh." said Magnus delicately "Missing what exactly?" Missing!" Jace repeated "As in gone, absent, notable for his lack of presence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/it-s-simon-he-s-missing-ahh-said-magnus-delicately-missing-what/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Anger clearly has its proper place at work, which is neither wholly absent nor ever present. The manager who is an emotional blank is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-baggini/anger-clearly-has-its-proper-place-at-work-which-is-neither-wholly/) [Julian Baggini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-baggini/) > [They were not mentioned in the Declaration of Independence, they were absent in the Constitution and they were invisible in the new political democracy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/they-were-not-mentioned-in-the-declaration-of-independence-they-were/) [Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/) > [Religion has always been a matter of community building; a matter of building precisely those relations of compassion, fellow feeling and - I dare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/religion-has-always-been-a-matter-of-community-building-a-matter-of/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [A FRIEND IS A PERSON . . . With whom you can be sincere. . . . To whom you never need to defend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-armand-montapert/a-friend-is-a-person-with-whom-you-can-be-sincere-to-whom-you-never/) [Alfred Armand Montapert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-armand-montapert/) > [The very serpents bite their tails; the bees forget to sting, For a language so celestial setteth up a wondering. And the touch of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathalia-crane/the-very-serpents-bite-their-tails-the-bees-forget-to-sting-for-a/) [Nathalia Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathalia-crane/) [Browse all 490 Absent quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absent/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Absent the net, we certainly couldn't have organized in 190 countries around the world. It's no substitution for face to face interaction - that's why we have \"days of action\" where people are in real contact with each other - but it's the cheap (and low-carbon) way to do an awful lot of the planning and organizing. And we can build, for $20k, a website as good as one Exxon can build for $20 million.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bill McKibben" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/absent-the-net-we-certainly-couldn-t-have-organized-in-190-countries/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Absent" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/absent-the-net-we-certainly-couldn-t-have-organized-in-190-countries/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1af/bill-mckibben-1057_absent_absent-the-net-we-certainly-couldn-t-hav_1416429.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1af/bill-mckibben-1057_absent_absent-the-net-we-certainly-couldn-t-hav_1416429.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1af/bill-mckibben-1057_absent_absent-the-net-we-certainly-couldn-t-hav_1416429.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Absent the net, we certainly couldn't have organized in 190 countries around the world. It's no substitution…” — Bill McKibben", "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": "Bill McKibben", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Absent the net, we certainly couldn't...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/absent-the-net-we-certainly-couldn-t-have-organized-in-190-countries/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/absent-the-net-we-certainly-couldn-t-have-organized-in-190-countries/#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 } } ] } ```