--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Earth,\" he said, \"is a large and very…" description: "\"“The Earth,\" he said, \"is a large and very complex lifeboat. We still do not know what can or can't be done with a proper distribution of resources and..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e16/isaac-asimov-309_quote_the-earth-he-said-is-a-large-and-very-co_955636.jpg" --- # The Earth," he said, "is a large and very complex… ![“The Earth," he said, "is a large and very complex lifeboat. We still do not know what can or can't be done with a proper distribution of resources and it is notorious that to this very day we have not really made an effort to distribute them. In many places on Earth, food is wasted daily, and it…” quote by Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e16/isaac-asimov-309_quote_the-earth-he-said-is-a-large-and-very-co_955636.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e16/isaac-asimov-309_quote_the-earth-he-said-is-a-large-and-very-co_955636.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e16/isaac-asimov-309_quote_the-earth-he-said-is-a-large-and-very-co_955636.jpg) > ““The Earth," he said, "is a large and very complex lifeboat. We still do not know what can or can't be done with a proper distribution of resources and it is notorious that to this very day we have not really made an effort to distribute them. In many places on Earth, food is wasted daily, and it is that knowledge that drives hungry men mad.”” [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humanity mismanages resources, leading to waste and suffering despite abundance. **In simple terms:** We waste resources while many starve. Key Takeaway Improve resource distribution and reduce waste. Themes resource management inequality environment ethics Mood concerned urgent Type sociopolitical activist When to use this quote - food distribution - policy planning - community kitchens - education campaigns Key Concepts sustainability distribution scarcity Questions to Reflect On - How can societies incentivize equitable resource sharing? - What barriers prevent effective waste reduction? A Different Perspective Changing systems is politically and economically challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) ## Related quotes > [Antarctica is one of the most remote and beautiful places on earth. I don't think that everyone should go there. I also think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-spooky/antarctica-is-one-of-the-most-remote-and-beautiful-places-on-earth-i/) [DJ Spooky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-spooky/) > [“Not by human dwellings--not in crowded cities alone, are the sights and sounds of life. The wildest places of the earth are full of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-northrup/not-by-human-dwellings-not-in-crowded-cities-alone-are-the-sights-and/) Solomon Northrup > [The earth is alive. There are places on the earth that are very powerful. Meaning that on another dimensional level, there is an interfacing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-earth-is-alive-there-are-places-on-the-earth-that-are-very/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“...One cannot help but consider the future- what will it be like when all the wild places of the earth have been taken over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-daniel-mechling/one-cannot-help-but-consider-the-future-what-will-it-be-like-when-all/) [Christopher Daniel Mechling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-daniel-mechling/) > [The knowledge of the past times and of the places of the earth is both an ornament and nutriment to the human mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-knowledge-of-the-past-times-and-of-the-places-of-the-earth-is/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [There are places on earth where we can catch a glimpse of heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-d-williams/there-are-places-on-earth-where-we-can-catch-a-glimpse-of-heaven/) [Anthony D. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-d-williams/) > [There are places on Earth, in every country, where, for various reasons, good schools cannot be built and good teachers cannot or do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugata-mitra/there-are-places-on-earth-in-every-country-where-for-various-reasons/) [Sugata Mitra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugata-mitra/) > [The world is empty - all of the people and places, the earth, the seas, mountains, deserts, forests and cities, and the beings that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-world-is-empty-all-of-the-people-and-places-the-earth-the-seas/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [When the powerful horses went out, they were straining to go throughout the earth. And he said, "Go throughout the earth!" So they went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zechariah-6-7/when-the-powerful-horses-went-out-they-were-straining-to-go/) Zechariah 6:7 > [ “Captain Smek himself appeared on television for an official speech to humankind. \[...\] 'Noble Savages of Earth,' he said. 'Long time we have tried… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-rex/captain-smek-himself-appeared-on-television-for-an-official-speech-to/) [Adam Rex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-rex/) > [“Might I,” quavered Mary, “might I have a bit of earth?” In her eagerness she did not realize how queer the words would sound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/might-i-quavered-mary-might-i-have-a-bit-of-earth-in-her-eagerness/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“If this is earth,' said the producer from Washington, D.C., 'I'm not interested in what heaven has to offer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karsten-heuer/if-this-is-earth-said-the-producer-from-washington-d-c-i-m-not/) Karsten Heuer > [When I was a child, the Earth was said to be two billion years old. Now scientists say it's four and a half billion.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-erdos/when-i-was-a-child-the-earth-was-said-to-be-two-billion-years-old-now/) [Paul Erdos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-erdos/) > [“ I was father to the land. I saved my people. I was... King. "By... earth," he said, more a movement of the lips…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-m-stirling/i-was-father-to-the-land-i-saved-my-people-i-was-king-by-earth-he/) [S.M. Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-m-stirling/) > [Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth. (said of Mahatma…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/generations-to-come-will-scarce-believe-that-such-a-one-as-this-ever/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) ## More by Isaac Asimov > [The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/the-strain-of-anti-intellectualism-has-been-a-constant-thread-winding/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [Suppose that we are wise enough to learn and know-and yet not wise enough to control our learning and knowledge, so that we use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/suppose-that-we-are-wise-enough-to-learn-and-know-and-yet-not-wise/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [Uncertainty that comes from knowledge (knowing what you don't know) is different from uncertainty coming from ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/uncertainty-that-comes-from-knowledge-knowing-what-you-don-t-know-is/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [“Don't you see? It's Galaxy-wide. It's a worship of the past. It's a deterioration - a stagnation!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/don-t-you-see-it-s-galaxy-wide-it-s-a-worship-of-the-past-it-s-a/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [So the universe is not quite as you thought it was. You'd better rearrange your beliefs, then. Because you certainly can't rearrange the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/so-the-universe-is-not-quite-as-you-thought-it-was-you-d-better/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [It is in meeting the great tests that mankind can most successfully rise to great heights. Out of danger and restless insecurity comes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/it-is-in-meeting-the-great-tests-that-mankind-can-most-successfully/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [“It might seem to you, Peter, that a truck driver, one step above an ape in your view, can't remember. But truck drivers can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/it-might-seem-to-you-peter-that-a-truck-driver-one-step-above-an-ape/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [When life is so harsh that a man loses all hope in himself, then he raises his eyes to a shining rock, worshipping it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/when-life-is-so-harsh-that-a-man-loses-all-hope-in-himself-then-he/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [“You are a military man and should know better. If there is one science into which man has probed continuously and successfully, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/you-are-a-military-man-and-should-know-better-if-there-is-one-science/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [“temperatura constante de mais ou menos 21 graus”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/temperatura-constante-de-mais-ou-menos-21-graus/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [“Human beings can tolerate an immortal robot, for it doesn't matter how long a machine lasts, but they cannot tolerate an immortal human being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/human-beings-can-tolerate-an-immortal-robot-for-it-doesn-t-matter-how/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [“if people believe this, they would act on that belief. Many a prophecy, by the mere force of its being believed, is transmuted”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/if-people-believe-this-they-would-act-on-that-belief-many-a-prophecy/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [I do not use airplanes. They strike me as unsporting. You can have an automobile accident-and survive. You can be on a sinking ship-and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/i-do-not-use-airplanes-they-strike-me-as-unsporting-you-can-have-an/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [There are many aspects of the universe that still cannot be explained satisfactorily by science; but ignorance implies only ignorance that may someday be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/there-are-many-aspects-of-the-universe-that-still-cannot-be-explained/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. \[The Second Law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/a-robot-must-obey-the-orders-given-it-by-human-beings-except-where/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) [Explore all 671 Isaac Asimov quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) ## More Earth quotes > [There is something more important than any ultimate weapon. That is the ultimate position-the position of total control over Earth that lies somewhere out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/there-is-something-more-important-than-any-ultimate-weapon-that-is/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [Give me strength to walk the soft earth, a relative to all that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/give-me-strength-to-walk-the-soft-earth-a-relative-to-all-that-is/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [Set NOT your hearts on the flowers of this world. They shall fade and die. Prize the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/set-not-your-hearts-on-the-flowers-of-this-world-they-shall-fade-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Then all this earth shines like one house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramana-maharshi/then-all-this-earth-shines-like-one-house/) [Ramana Maharshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramana-maharshi/) > [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [When man of slender visits you / Nothing on earth that one can do / In well he’ll hide, or watery hole / And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-goldstein/when-man-of-slender-visits-you-nothing-on-earth-that-one-can-do-in/) [Jack Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-goldstein/) > [Cities are 2% of the earth's crust, but they are 50% of the world's population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlo-ratti/cities-are-2-of-the-earth-s-crust-but-they-are-50-of-the-world-s/) [Carlo Ratti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlo-ratti/) > [This, at last, was where things were as they ought to be. Everything was in its place -- the tree, the earth underneath, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-liedloff/this-at-last-was-where-things-were-as-they-ought-to-be-everything-was/) [Jean Liedloff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-liedloff/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [What did you do to save the world today?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richie/what-did-you-do-to-save-the-world-today/) [Richie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richie/) [Browse all 15,455 Earth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The Earth,\" he said, \"is a large and very complex lifeboat. We still do not know what can or can't be done with a proper distribution of resources and it is notorious that to this very day we have not really made an effort to distribute them. In many places on Earth, food is wasted daily, and it is that knowledge that drives hungry men mad.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Isaac Asimov" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/the-earth-he-said-is-a-large-and-very-complex-lifeboat-we-still-do/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Earth" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/the-earth-he-said-is-a-large-and-very-complex-lifeboat-we-still-do/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e16/isaac-asimov-309_quote_the-earth-he-said-is-a-large-and-very-co_955636.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e16/isaac-asimov-309_quote_the-earth-he-said-is-a-large-and-very-co_955636.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e16/isaac-asimov-309_quote_the-earth-he-said-is-a-large-and-very-co_955636.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Earth,\" he said, \"is a large and very complex lifeboat. We still do not know what can or can't be done…” — Isaac Asimov", "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": "Isaac Asimov", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The Earth,\" he said, \"is a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/the-earth-he-said-is-a-large-and-very-complex-lifeboat-we-still-do/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/the-earth-he-said-is-a-large-and-very-complex-lifeboat-we-still-do/#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 } } ] } ```