--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you don't have that science and…" description: "\"If you don't have that science and technology and brains as an input, as you don't have in large parts of Latin America, if you don't focus your educat..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/juan-enriquez-10680_america_if-you-don-t-have-that-science-and-techn_1005256.jpg" --- # If you don't have that science and technology and brains… ![“If you don't have that science and technology and brains as an input, as you don't have in large parts of Latin America, if you don't focus your education on that, if you don't find your 10,000 best scientists, but you do find your 10,000 best soccer players, the consequences are, you become a…” quote by Juan Enriquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/juan-enriquez-10680_america_if-you-don-t-have-that-science-and-techn_1005256.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/juan-enriquez-10680_america_if-you-don-t-have-that-science-and-techn_1005256.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/juan-enriquez-10680_america_if-you-don-t-have-that-science-and-techn_1005256.jpg) > “If you don't have that science and technology and brains as an input, as you don't have in large parts of Latin America, if you don't focus your education on that, if you don't find your 10,000 best scientists, but you do find your 10,000 best soccer players, the consequences are, you become a World Cup Champion in Soccer, like Brazil, but you don't become Korea, which earned 1/5 of what a Mexican did in 1975 and today earns five times more.” [Juan Enriquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-enriquez/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Investing in science and technology education yields higher economic returns than focusing solely on sports talent. **In simple terms:** Science education drives wealth more than sports talent Key Takeaway Prioritize STEM education for growth. Themes education economics technology sports development Mood concerned optimistic Type analytical policy. When to use this quote - national policy - school curricula - talent development - economic planning Key Concepts Human capital innovation comparative advantage Questions to Reflect On - How can countries rebalance investment between sports and STEM? - What policies best nurture scientific talent? A Different Perspective Neglecting STEM can limit long‑term prosperity despite short‑term sports success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Brazil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brazil/) [Champion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/champion/) [Consequence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consequence/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Korea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/korea/) [Latin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/latin/) [Latin america](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/latin-america/) [Mexican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mexican/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science and technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-and-technology/) [Scientist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientist/) [Scientists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scientists/) [Soccer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soccer/) [Soccer player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soccer-player/) [Soccer Players](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soccer-players/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World cup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-cup/) ## Related quotes > [At least for soccer players, it comes down to a blend of two types of fitness - your base endurance, which comes from longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-o-reilly/at-least-for-soccer-players-it-comes-down-to-a-blend-of-two-types-of/) [Heather O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-o-reilly/) > [ Some \[soccer\] players suffer four or five fatal injuries per game. That's how tough they are. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/some-soccer-players-suffer-four-or-five-fatal-injuries-per-game-that/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Getting a chance to practice six months against my own teammates, who I consider the best soccer players in the world, there's no way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-fair/getting-a-chance-to-practice-six-months-against-my-own-teammates-who/) [Lorrie Fair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-fair/) > [Sport can be used for messaging, for example, making the connections between shin guards or a helmet that protects you, and protection in terms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-bellamy/sport-can-be-used-for-messaging-for-example-making-the-connections/) [Carol Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-bellamy/) > [Really, off days for soccer players are just recovery days. You're trying to get off your feet as much as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-sauerbrunn/really-off-days-for-soccer-players-are-just-recovery-days-you-re/) [Becky Sauerbrunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-sauerbrunn/) > [Now, modern economies have a very effective mechanism for deciding if salaries are really too high: it's called the free market. That's how most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/now-modern-economies-have-a-very-effective-mechanism-for-deciding-if/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [Chileans have this rumor that they're great soccer players, but I stunk as a soccer player. I always had to hide my nationality when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-espinosa/chileans-have-this-rumor-that-they-re-great-soccer-players-but-i/) [Daniel Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-espinosa/) > [Considerable research on successful soccer players and their developmental history, affirms that a good percentage of them have spent time in isolation, working on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pel/considerable-research-on-successful-soccer-players-and-their/) [Pele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pel/) > [Fortunately for me, it's my most favorite drill, and that is finishing. However, from a young age, soccer players in this country are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/landon-donovan/fortunately-for-me-it-s-my-most-favorite-drill-and-that-is-finishing/) [Landon Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/landon-donovan/) > [“Whoever believes physical size and tests of speed or strength have anything to do with a soccer player's prowess is sorely mistaken. Just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/whoever-believes-physical-size-and-tests-of-speed-or-strength-have/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [You'd better get onto MI6. They'll be in charge of security at the airport." "Of course." Sir Graham moved toward the door. He stopped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-horowitz/you-d-better-get-onto-mi6-they-ll-be-in-charge-of-security-at-the/) [Anthony Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-horowitz/) > [If you get operated, something can go wrong and you can just say bye-bye to tennis. That's what happened to a lot of soccer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marat-safin/if-you-get-operated-something-can-go-wrong-and-you-can-just-say-bye/) [Marat Safin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marat-safin/) > [Ibiza is a popular vacation place for a lot of the players in Spain. If you go in the summer, there are some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xavi/ibiza-is-a-popular-vacation-place-for-a-lot-of-the-players-in-spain/) [Xavi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xavi/) > [The myth stems from the belief that writing is some mystical process. That it's magical. That it abides by its own set of rules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/the-myth-stems-from-the-belief-that-writing-is-some-mystical-process/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [Until African-Americans and Hispanics can get serious, not just about area studies, which are important, but also about science and technology, they're not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-enriquez/until-african-americans-and-hispanics-can-get-serious-not-just-about/) [Juan Enriquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-enriquez/) ## More by Juan Enriquez > [Those of us of a certain age grew up expecting that by now we would have Rosie the Robot from 'The Jetsons' in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-enriquez/those-of-us-of-a-certain-age-grew-up-expecting-that-by-now-we-would/) [Juan Enriquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-enriquez/) > [I've always been interested in why countries appear and disappear. And the curious thing is how often it happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-enriquez/i-ve-always-been-interested-in-why-countries-appear-and-disappear-and/) [Juan Enriquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-enriquez/) > [There are certain zip codes that generate a disproportionate share of patents, of startups, of wealth, of jobs. And it's really important if other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-enriquez/there-are-certain-zip-codes-that-generate-a-disproportionate-share-of/) [Juan Enriquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-enriquez/) > [Try to live without something digital - without digital code for about two hours, very hard to do if you're awake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-enriquez/try-to-live-without-something-digital-without-digital-code-for-about/) [Juan Enriquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-enriquez/) > [It's such an extraordinary time to be alive that you just don't want to miss it. I mean, it's a really neat historical period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-enriquez/it-s-such-an-extraordinary-time-to-be-alive-that-you-just-don-t-want/) [Juan Enriquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-enriquez/) > [The U.S. started with no stars. In fact, it started with a completely different flag. The last two were added in 1959, Hawaii and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-enriquez/the-u-s-started-with-no-stars-in-fact-it-started-with-a-completely/) [Juan Enriquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-enriquez/) > [China has, all of a sudden, found a way of putting the best of the best to work to build an economy that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-enriquez/china-has-all-of-a-sudden-found-a-way-of-putting-the-best-of-the-best/) [Juan Enriquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-enriquez/) > [There is so much extraordinary opportunity if you're curious, if you're interested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-enriquez/there-is-so-much-extraordinary-opportunity-if-you-re-curious-if-you/) [Juan Enriquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-enriquez/) > [Not only are we reading life code, we're beginning to copy it through cloning, and we're beginning to write, and in the measure that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-enriquez/not-only-are-we-reading-life-code-we-re-beginning-to-copy-it-through/) [Juan Enriquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-enriquez/) > [One of the lessons that I hope people will take out is the extreme dependence simply on the financial sector is really dangerous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-enriquez/one-of-the-lessons-that-i-hope-people-will-take-out-is-the-extreme/) [Juan Enriquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-enriquez/) > [The difference between people who can read and write and those who can't is just absolutely astronomical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-enriquez/the-difference-between-people-who-can-read-and-write-and-those-who/) [Juan Enriquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-enriquez/) > [It's not completely inconceivable that someday you'll be able to download your own memories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-enriquez/it-s-not-completely-inconceivable-that-someday-you-ll-be-able-to/) [Juan Enriquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-enriquez/) > [Borlaug would be one figure that I think fundamentally changed India, China, all of Southeast Asia, and gave them the time to be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-enriquez/borlaug-would-be-one-figure-that-i-think-fundamentally-changed-india/) [Juan Enriquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-enriquez/) > [When I grew up, I simply didn't have mentors that said, "Science is important. Science helps you build a country. Science makes a country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-enriquez/when-i-grew-up-i-simply-didn-t-have-mentors-that-said-science-is/) [Juan Enriquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-enriquez/) > [It's actually very hard to find an area of the economy that doesn't fundamentally change in the measure that we are able to read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-enriquez/it-s-actually-very-hard-to-find-an-area-of-the-economy-that-doesn-t/) [Juan Enriquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-enriquez/) [Explore all 64 Juan Enriquez quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-enriquez/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [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/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you don't have that science and technology and brains as an input, as you don't have in large parts of Latin America, if you don't focus your education on that, if you don't find your 10,000 best scientists, but you do find your 10,000 best soccer players, the consequences are, you become a World Cup Champion in Soccer, like Brazil, but you don't become Korea, which earned 1/5 of what a Mexican did in 1975 and today earns five times more.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Juan Enriquez" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-enriquez/if-you-don-t-have-that-science-and-technology-and-brains-as-an-input/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-enriquez/if-you-don-t-have-that-science-and-technology-and-brains-as-an-input/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/juan-enriquez-10680_america_if-you-don-t-have-that-science-and-techn_1005256.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/juan-enriquez-10680_america_if-you-don-t-have-that-science-and-techn_1005256.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b28/juan-enriquez-10680_america_if-you-don-t-have-that-science-and-techn_1005256.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you don't have that science and technology and brains as an input, as you don't have in large parts of…” — Juan Enriquez", "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": "Juan Enriquez", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-enriquez/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you don't have that science...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-enriquez/if-you-don-t-have-that-science-and-technology-and-brains-as-an-input/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-enriquez/if-you-don-t-have-that-science-and-technology-and-brains-as-an-input/#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 } } ] } ```