Ozone layer Quote by David Bohm
““The more general difficulty with thought is that thought is very active, it's participatory. And fragmentation is itself a symptom of the more general difficulty. Thought is always doing a great deal, but it tends to say that it hasn't done anything, that it is just telling you the way things are. But thought affects everything. It has created everything we see in this building. It has affected all the trees, it has affected the mountains, the plains and the farms and the factories and science and technology. Even the South Pole has been affected because of the destruction of the ozone layer, which is basically due to thought. People thought that they wanted to have refrigerant—a nice safe refrigerant—and they built that all up by thinking more and more about it. And now we have the ozone layer being destroyed.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Discussion on thought and environmental impact, 1970s
The passage argues that human thought creates reality, influencing everything from architecture to climate, and that our mental models can unintentionally cause ecological harm.
In simple terms: Our thinking shapes the world, sometimes causing environmental damage.
Key Takeaway
Recognize thought’s power and its ecological consequences.
Themes
environmental ethics
human cognition
responsibility
science
technology
Mood
concerned
thoughtful
urgent
Type
philosophical
cautionary
educational
When to use this quote
- policy making
- education reform
- design thinking
- environmental activism
- risk assessment
Key Concepts
systems theory
philosophy of mind
ecology
anthropocentrism
Questions to Reflect On
- What mental habits lead to harmful technologies?
- How can we redesign thinking to protect the planet?
A Different Perspective
Thought alone cannot solve problems; action and regulation are also needed.
![“The system [of thought] doesn't stay with the difficult problem that produces unpleasant feelings. It's conditioned somehow to move as fast as it can toward more pleasant feelings, without actually facing the thing that's making the unpleasant feeling.” quote by David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e2a/david-bohm-4805_difficult_the-system-of-thought-doesn-t-stay-with_8291.jpg)
![“Just like there's a hole in the ozone layer, there's a hole in the musical ecological layer [wrt lack of successful "conscious" music]... 'Traditional' music was brand new at one time... When you hear R&B today, do you believe it?” quote by Vernon Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a39/vernon-reid-50759_believe_just-like-there-s-a-hole-in-the-ozone-la_81991.jpg)
![“Do you really want to know why I'm doing all this goodwill, and why I'm an ambassador for Habitat for Humanity and why I gave a million to [relief efforts for Hurricane] Katrina? It's because I feel guilty about the huge hole in the ozone layer my haircuts created. It's my responsibility to right…” quote by Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a95/jon-bon-jovi-2929_ambassadors_do-you-really-want-to-know-why-i-m-doing_475915.jpg)
