--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Any system, biological, economic, or…" description: "\"Any system, biological, economic, or social, that gets so encrusted that it cannot self-evolve, a system that systematically scorns experimentation and..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de0/donella-meadows-9060_doomed_any-system-biological-economic-or-social_1564679.png" --- # Any system, biological, economic, or social, that gets so… ![“Any system, biological, economic, or social, that gets so encrusted that it cannot self-evolve, a system that systematically scorns experimentation and wipes out the raw material of innovation, is doomed over the long term on this highly variable planet.” quote by Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de0/donella-meadows-9060_doomed_any-system-biological-economic-or-social_1564679.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de0/donella-meadows-9060_doomed_any-system-biological-economic-or-social_1564679.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de0/donella-meadows-9060_doomed_any-system-biological-economic-or-social_1564679.png) > “Any system, biological, economic, or social, that gets so encrusted that it cannot self-evolve, a system that systematically scorns experimentation and wipes out the raw material of innovation, is doomed over the long term on this highly variable planet.” [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Complex systems that become rigid and resist change eventually fail in a variable environment. **In simple terms:** Rigid systems fail over time. Key Takeaway Encourage flexibility and experimentation. Themes systems innovation adaptability resilience entropy Mood cautious analytical Type philosophical warning When to use this quote - business strategy - public policy - technology development - environmental management Key Concepts complexity feedback loops systemic risk Questions to Reflect On - How can we identify rigidity early? - What incentives foster experimentation? A Different Perspective Change can be costly and meet resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doomed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doomed/) [Doomed Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doomed-long-4006116/) [Economic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic/) [Evolve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolve/) [Evolve Systematically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolve-systematically-5877452/) [Experimentation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experimentation/) [Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) [Innovation Doomed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation-doomed-2936101/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-term/) [Materials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/materials/) [Planets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planets/) [Raw material](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raw-material/) [Raw materials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/raw-materials/) [Scorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scorn/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Systematically Scorns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/systematically-scorns-5877451/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/) [Variables](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/variables/) [Wipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wipe/) ## Related quotes > [“You cannot be doomed, after all, as long as you can still see the faint outline of hope on the opposite shore.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-cannot-be-doomed-after-all-as-long-as-you-can-still-see-the-faint/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [An established company which, in an age demanding innovation, is not able to innovation, is doomed to decline and extinction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/an-established-company-which-in-an-age-demanding-innovation-is-not/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [Every job is a blessing. 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But unlike businesses, where at least your variable costs go down, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-whitman/because-what-happens-is-as-the-economy-suffers-tax-revenues-go-down/) [Meg Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-whitman/) > [The difference is that we have the hardest and most painful evidence that there was a Holocaust. But, for the global warming scenario that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-difference-is-that-we-have-the-hardest-and-most-painful-evidence/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [There's a story about how the program is organized, there's a story about the context in which the program is expected to operate. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-steele/there-s-a-story-about-how-the-program-is-organized-there-s-a-story/) [Guy Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-steele/) > [“You should imagine variables as tentacles, rather than boxes. They do not contain values; they grasp them—two variables can refer to the same value.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marijn-haverbeke/you-should-imagine-variables-as-tentacles-rather-than-boxes-they-do/) [Marijn Haverbeke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marijn-haverbeke/) > [Science manipulates things and gives up living in them. It makes its own limited models of things; operating upon these indices or variables to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-merleau-ponty/science-manipulates-things-and-gives-up-living-in-them-it-makes-its/) [Maurice Merleau-Ponty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-merleau-ponty/) > [As a social and as a personal force, religion has become a dependent variable. It does not originate; it reacts. It does not denounce;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-wright-mills/as-a-social-and-as-a-personal-force-religion-has-become-a-dependent/) [C. Wright Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-wright-mills/) > [As the variable capital always stays in the hands of the capitalist in some form or other, it cannot be claimed in any way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/as-the-variable-capital-always-stays-in-the-hands-of-the-capitalist/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) ## More by Donella Meadows > [Ending poverty calls for humility, honesty, freedom from ideology and refusal to accept cruel simplicities about anyone's human potential. It requires listening to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/ending-poverty-calls-for-humility-honesty-freedom-from-ideology-and/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany have detailed plans to cut their greenhouse emissions by 20 to 50 percent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/denmark-the-netherlands-and-germany-have-detailed-plans-to-cut-their/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [A grand jury hears only one side - that of the prosecutor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/a-grand-jury-hears-only-one-side-that-of-the-prosecutor/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [What Clinton did with Lewinsky was despicable but was no threat to the nation. That he lied about it repeatedly and to the public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/what-clinton-did-with-lewinsky-was-despicable-but-was-no-threat-to/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [Why is our (US) government the only one in the civilized world with a stupid, short-term energy policy? Why do our elected officials consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/why-is-our-us-government-the-only-one-in-the-civilized-world-with-a/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [Before they got vengeful, conservatives had some useful points to make about welfare. Government 'help' is too often guilt-assuaging gesture. It creates layers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/before-they-got-vengeful-conservatives-had-some-useful-points-to-make/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [Social services, not wealth per se, seem to be the key to lower birth rates. The Chinese, although among the poorest peoples of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/social-services-not-wealth-per-se-seem-to-be-the-key-to-lower-birth/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [You should issue demerits for tree cutting or the destruction of humus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/you-should-issue-demerits-for-tree-cutting-or-the-destruction-of-humus/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [A good leader sets the right goals, gets things moving, and helps us to discover that we already know what to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/a-good-leader-sets-the-right-goals-gets-things-moving-and-helps-us-to/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [The latest scientific assessment has almost doubled the predicted rate of warming if no changes are made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/the-latest-scientific-assessment-has-almost-doubled-the-predicted/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [Some call-in moderators are neutral and courteous. Then there's Rush Limbaugh, who is funny and pompous and a scapegoater and hatemonger. His popularity could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/some-call-in-moderators-are-neutral-and-courteous-then-there-s-rush/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [Smart development builds on a region's own skills, resources and local businesses. Dumb growth invites a big corporation in, surrenders control and profits to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/smart-development-builds-on-a-region-s-own-skills-resources-and-local/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [Glaciers are almost gone from Glacier National Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/glaciers-are-almost-gone-from-glacier-national-park/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [I call the transformed world toward which we can move ‘sustainable,’ by which I mean a great deal more than a world that merely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/i-call-the-transformed-world-toward-which-we-can-move-sustainable-by/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) > [We can't control systems or figure them out. But we can dance with them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/we-can-t-control-systems-or-figure-them-out-but-we-can-dance-with-them/) [Donella Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) [Explore all 75 Donella Meadows quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/) ## More Doomed quotes > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [A language possesses utility only insofar as it can construct conventional boundaries. A language of no boundaries is no language at all, and thus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wilber/a-language-possesses-utility-only-insofar-as-it-can-construct/) [Ken Wilber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wilber/) > [I didn't have any role models. I really thought I was doomed to this loveless, lonely life. I didn't know any gay people until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-batt/i-didn-t-have-any-role-models-i-really-thought-i-was-doomed-to-this/) [Bryan Batt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-batt/) > [“Despite which, Charlie seems doomed to stumble around in the dark, clutching pieces of a puzzle he still can't see.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-risk-hallberg/despite-which-charlie-seems-doomed-to-stumble-around-in-the-dark/) [Garth Risk Hallberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-risk-hallberg/) > [Monotheism is in its turn doomed to subtract one more God and become atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-warraq/monotheism-is-in-its-turn-doomed-to-subtract-one-more-god-and-become/) [Ibn Warraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-warraq/) > [“Why are we doomed to crave most that which we cannot have?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-are-we-doomed-to-crave-most-that-which-we-cannot-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm doomed! And all 'cause Miss Man decides to take her little drag show on the road. -Mushu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mulan/i-m-doomed-and-all-cause-miss-man-decides-to-take-her-little-drag/) [Mulan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mulan/) > [It is important for investors to understand what they do and don't know. Learn to recognize that you cannot possibly know what is going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/it-is-important-for-investors-to-understand-what-they-do-and-don-t/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [O Logic: born gatekeeper to the Temple of Science, victim of capricious destiny: doomed hitherto to be the drudge of pedants: come to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-bentham/o-logic-born-gatekeeper-to-the-temple-of-science-victim-of-capricious/) [Jeremy Bentham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-bentham/) > [For the planet's sake, I hope we have bird flu or some other thing that will reduce the population, because otherwise we're doomed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-blackmore/for-the-planet-s-sake-i-hope-we-have-bird-flu-or-some-other-thing/) [Susan Blackmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-blackmore/) > [The enemy's spies who have come to spy on us must be sought out, tempted with bribes, led away and comfortably housed. Thus they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-enemy-s-spies-who-have-come-to-spy-on-us-must-be-sought-out/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [I do honestly think that if women were running the world there would be more investment in peace, because basically as women we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/i-do-honestly-think-that-if-women-were-running-the-world-there-would/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) > [When you think that most of us are doomed by divine grace to roast in hell, to say nothing of mortgages and hail and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/when-you-think-that-most-of-us-are-doomed-by-divine-grace-to-roast-in/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) > [I am doomed or fortunate to stick to what I do best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-sobule/i-am-doomed-or-fortunate-to-stick-to-what-i-do-best/) [Jill Sobule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-sobule/) [Browse all 648 Doomed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doomed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Any system, biological, economic, or social, that gets so encrusted that it cannot self-evolve, a system that systematically scorns experimentation and wipes out the raw material of innovation, is doomed over the long term on this highly variable planet.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Donella Meadows" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/any-system-biological-economic-or-social-that-gets-so-encrusted-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Doomed" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/any-system-biological-economic-or-social-that-gets-so-encrusted-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de0/donella-meadows-9060_doomed_any-system-biological-economic-or-social_1564679.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de0/donella-meadows-9060_doomed_any-system-biological-economic-or-social_1564679.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de0/donella-meadows-9060_doomed_any-system-biological-economic-or-social_1564679.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Any system, biological, economic, or social, that gets so encrusted that it cannot self-evolve, a system…” — Donella Meadows", "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": "Donella Meadows", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donella-meadows/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Any system, biological, economic, or social,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/any-system-biological-economic-or-social-that-gets-so-encrusted-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donella-meadows/any-system-biological-economic-or-social-that-gets-so-encrusted-that/#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 } } ] } ```