--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The glass display cases had shown…" description: "\"“The glass display cases had shown rock-throwers crafted by the Australian aborigines - like giant wooden shoehorns, they'd looked, but smoothed and ca..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8d/eliezer-yudkowsky-1207_innovation_the-glass-display-cases-had-shown-rock-t_2360324.png" --- # The glass display cases had shown rock-throwers crafted by… ![“The glass display cases had shown rock-throwers crafted by the Australian aborigines - like giant wooden shoehorns, they'd looked, but smoothed and carved and ornamented with the most painstaking care. In the 40,000 years since anatomically modern humans had migrated to Australia from Asia, nobody…” quote by Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8d/eliezer-yudkowsky-1207_innovation_the-glass-display-cases-had-shown-rock-t_2360324.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8d/eliezer-yudkowsky-1207_innovation_the-glass-display-cases-had-shown-rock-t_2360324.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8d/eliezer-yudkowsky-1207_innovation_the-glass-display-cases-had-shown-rock-t_2360324.png) > ““The glass display cases had shown rock-throwers crafted by the Australian aborigines - like giant wooden shoehorns, they'd looked, but smoothed and carved and ornamented with the most painstaking care. In the 40,000 years since anatomically modern humans had migrated to Australia from Asia, nobody had invented the bow-and-arrow. It really made you appreciate how non-obvious was the idea of Progress. Why would you even think of Invention as something important, if all your history's heroic tales were of great warriors and defenders instead of Thomas Edison? How could anyone possibly have suspected, while carving a rock-thrower with painstaking care, that someday human beings would invent rocket ships and nuclear energy?”” [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights how technological progress is non‑obvious and how cultural narratives shape our expectations of invention. **In simple terms:** Progress often seems unpredictable; we assume invention follows heroic tales. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about what drives innovation. Themes history technology perception innovation culture Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - science policy - technology forecasting - museum curation Key Concepts non‑linear progress cognitive bias cultural narrative Questions to Reflect On - How do cultural stories influence what we deem important? - What other inventions might we overlook today? A Different Perspective Assumes all societies value invention equally, ignoring differing priorities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Asia Invented](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asia-invented-5777147/) [Beings Invent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beings-invent-1075609/) [Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) [Invented Bow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invented-bow-5777146/) [Invention Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invention-important-3987821/) [Nuclear energy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear-energy/) [Think Invention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-invention-653354/) [Thomas edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thomas-edison/) ## Related quotes > [Human beings invent just as many ways to sabotage their lives as to improve them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-goulston/human-beings-invent-just-as-many-ways-to-sabotage-their-lives-as-to/) [Mark Goulston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-goulston/) > [“Cordelia was thinking how human beings can invent words, how they can line up their invented words side by side on paper. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonie-swann/cordelia-was-thinking-how-human-beings-can-invent-words-how-they-can/) [Leonie Swann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonie-swann/) > [If it wasn't for my primary school teacher reminding me to be observant, I may not have had the inspiration to think of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhou-qunfei/if-it-wasn-t-for-my-primary-school-teacher-reminding-me-to-be/) [Zhou Qunfei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhou-qunfei/) > [“From this era on, I think invention will be the parent of necessity – and not the other way around.’ That was easy for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernor-vinge/from-this-era-on-i-think-invention-will-be-the-parent-of-necessity/) [Vernor Vinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernor-vinge/) > [When I think of invention, I always think of America. You're always seeing ads: 'Have you got the next big idea?' There seems to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-cowell/when-i-think-of-invention-i-always-think-of-america-you-re-always/) [Simon Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-cowell/) > [What I tend to do is to wake about five in the morning-this happens quite often-think about the invention, and then image it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lovelock/what-i-tend-to-do-is-to-wake-about-five-in-the-morning-this-happens/) [James Lovelock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lovelock/) > [Music and art are two very different activities for me. However, the use of imagery links them, and invention is important for both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-askew/music-and-art-are-two-very-different-activities-for-me-however-the/) [Ed Askew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-askew/) > [“The progressive development of man is vitally dependent on invention. It is the most important product of his creative brain. Its ultimate purpose is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/the-progressive-development-of-man-is-vitally-dependent-on-invention-3/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [The progressive development of man is vitally dependent on invention. It is the most important product of his creative brain. Its ultimate purpose is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/the-progressive-development-of-man-is-vitally-dependent-on-invention-2/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [“The progressive development of man is vitally dependent on invention. It is the most important product of his creative brain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/the-progressive-development-of-man-is-vitally-dependent-on-invention-4/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [Invention is the most important product of man's creative brain. The ultimate purpose is the complete mastery of mind over the material world, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/invention-is-the-most-important-product-of-man-s-creative-brain-the/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [The war of ideas is a Greek invention. It is one of the most important inventions ever made. Indeed, the possibility of fighting with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-war-of-ideas-is-a-greek-invention-it-is-one-of-the-most-important/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“While nuclear fusion is great achievement, it is important that we look into the negative aspects of it. The development of nuclear energy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/while-nuclear-fusion-is-great-achievement-it-is-important-that-we/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [If we are to take the clean energy future of the United States seriously, we must consider a whole-of-government approach to implementing nuclear energy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-donalds/if-we-are-to-take-the-clean-energy-future-of-the-united-states/) [Byron Donalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-donalds/) > [“Three Moonie 65-megaton hydrogen bombs exploded nearly simultaneously at very high altitude. With no air around the bombs to absorb the initial blast of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hg47/three-moonie-65-megaton-hydrogen-bombs-exploded-nearly-simultaneously/) [@hg47](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hg47/) ## More by Eliezer Yudkowsky > [“But I really am Ravenclaw, you know, not Slytherin. I don't want to rule the universe. I just think it could be more sensibly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/but-i-really-am-ravenclaw-you-know-not-slytherin-i-don-t-want-to-rule/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [“‎If you regard evidence as a constraint and seek to free yourself, you sell yourself into the chains of your whims. For you cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/if-you-regard-evidence-as-a-constraint-and-seek-to-free-yourself-you/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [“I am not sure how to explain it, except that - truth matters to us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/i-am-not-sure-how-to-explain-it-except-that-truth-matters-to-us/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [I see little hope for democracy as an effective form of government, but I admire the poetry of how it makes its victims complicit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/i-see-little-hope-for-democracy-as-an-effective-form-of-government/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [“He really really really shouldn't have done that. Amazing how much more obvious that became one second after it was too late.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/he-really-really-really-shouldn-t-have-done-that-amazing-how-much/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [I'm wondering if there's a spell to make lightning flash in the background whenever I make an ominous resolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/i-m-wondering-if-there-s-a-spell-to-make-lightning-flash-in-the/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [“There’s a technique we use in our local rationalist cluster called “Is That Your True Rejection?”, and it works like this: Before you stake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/there-s-a-technique-we-use-in-our-local-rationalist-cluster-called-is/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [Lonely dissent doesn't feel like going to school dressed in black. It feels like going to school wearing a clown suit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/lonely-dissent-doesn-t-feel-like-going-to-school-dressed-in-black-it/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [“Knowing that Draco's hopeful face had probably been drilled into him by months of practice did not make it any less effective, Harry observed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/knowing-that-draco-s-hopeful-face-had-probably-been-drilled-into-him/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [The strength of a theory is not what it allows, but what it prohibits; if you can invent an equally persuasive explanation for any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/the-strength-of-a-theory-is-not-what-it-allows-but-what-it-prohibits/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [It is triple ultra forbidden to respond to criticism with violence. There are a very few injunctions in the human art of rationality that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/it-is-triple-ultra-forbidden-to-respond-to-criticism-with-violence/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [The human species was not born into a market economy. Bees won't sell you honey if you offer them an electronic funds transfer. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/the-human-species-was-not-born-into-a-market-economy-bees-won-t-sell/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [“Frigideiro! " said Hermione again from the desk next to him. Her water was solid ice and there were white crystals forming on the rim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/frigideiro-said-hermione-again-from-the-desk-next-to-him-her-water/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [“And then Harry Potter had launched in to a speech that was inspiring, yet vague. A speech to the effect that Fred and George…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/and-then-harry-potter-had-launched-in-to-a-speech-that-was-inspiring/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) > [“And I know that I'd just make myself unhappy by comparing that reality to... something perfect that I built up in my imagination.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/and-i-know-that-i-d-just-make-myself-unhappy-by-comparing-that/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) [Explore all 274 Eliezer Yudkowsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) ## More Innovation quotes > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I believe that one defines oneself by reinvention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-believe-that-one-defines-oneself-by-reinvention/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [“In the innovation age customer experience is key. Your impression defines their expression”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fela-durotoye/in-the-innovation-age-customer-experience-is-key-your-impression/) [Fela Durotoye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fela-durotoye/) > [“Incrementalism never allows innovation to flourish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-ratna/incrementalism-never-allows-innovation-to-flourish/) [Abhishek Ratna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-ratna/) > [I have tremendous admiration for companies with the kind of pioneering spirit and innovation eBay has demonstrated from day one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-hammer/i-have-tremendous-admiration-for-companies-with-the-kind-of/) [Bonnie Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-hammer/) > [Real breakthroughs are not found because you want to develop some new technology, but because you are curious and want to find out how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-zeilinger/real-breakthroughs-are-not-found-because-you-want-to-develop-some-new/) [Anton Zeilinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-zeilinger/) > [Why is it that, when we want to think outside the proverbial box, we often put ourselves in one? We gather our team in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-best/why-is-it-that-when-we-want-to-think-outside-the-proverbial-box-we/) [Charles Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-best/) > [We have to be innovative, we have to be fresh, we have to be new. People are counting on that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-barthel/we-have-to-be-innovative-we-have-to-be-fresh-we-have-to-be-new-people/) [Sarah Barthel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-barthel/) > [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/) [Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/) > [I'd take garbage, and I'd glue them together and create inventions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-makosinski/i-d-take-garbage-and-i-d-glue-them-together-and-create-inventions/) [Ann Makosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-makosinski/) > [“Some innovations just don’t attract enough economic or social demand: just as supersonic flight and manned space flight stagnated after the 1970s, today (in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-j-rees/some-innovations-just-don-t-attract-enough-economic-or-social-demand/) [Martin J. Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-j-rees/) > [We're focused on providing innovations in software, driving the continuous improvement for a much better experience, and there's a lot going on here that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/we-re-focused-on-providing-innovations-in-software-driving-the/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Other things being equal, it is the person who can lift his work up to the plane of the intuitional and inspiration who achieves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanwood-cobb/other-things-being-equal-it-is-the-person-who-can-lift-his-work-up-to/) [Stanwood Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanwood-cobb/) > [Let art, then, imitate nature, find what she desires, and follow as she directs. For in invention nature is never last, education never first;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/let-art-then-imitate-nature-find-what-she-desires-and-follow-as-she/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) [Browse all 4,437 Innovation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The glass display cases had shown rock-throwers crafted by the Australian aborigines - like giant wooden shoehorns, they'd looked, but smoothed and carved and ornamented with the most painstaking care. In the 40,000 years since anatomically modern humans had migrated to Australia from Asia, nobody had invented the bow-and-arrow. It really made you appreciate how non-obvious was the idea of Progress. Why would you even think of Invention as something important, if all your history's heroic tales were of great warriors and defenders instead of Thomas Edison? 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