Civilisation Quote by Carl Sagan
“What does it mean for a civilisation to be a million years old? We have had radio telescopes and spaceships for a few decades; our technical civilisation is a few hundred years old ... an advanced civilisation millions of years old is as much beyond us as we are beyond a bushbaby or a macaque”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Cosmos TV series, Carl Sagan, 1980
Civilizations that have existed for millions of years are incomprehensibly advanced compared to our few‑century‑old technological era.
In simple terms: Old civilizations are far beyond us.
Key Takeaway
Consider humanity’s brief technological window.
Themes
cosmology
future studies
civilization longevity
anthropology
humility
Mood
wonder
humble
Type
speculative
philosophical
When to use this quote
- space exploration
- long‑term planning
- philosophical humility
Key Concepts
Fermi paradox
technological singularity
deep time
Questions to Reflect On
- What would a million‑year‑old civilization value?
- How can we prepare for long‑term futures?
A Different Perspective
Our short perspective may limit understanding of deep time.
![“[ When a religious couple wrote to Sagan about fulfilled prophecies, he wrote back in May 1996 :] If ‘fulfilled prophecy’ is your criterion, why do you not believe in materialistic science, which has an unparalleled record of fulfilled prophecy? Consider, for example, eclipses.” quote by Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/875/carl-sagan-160_belief_when-a-religious-couple-wrote-to-sagan-a_25095.jpg)
