Age Quote by Karl Kraus
“Progress celebrates victories over nature. Progress makes purses out of human skin. When people were traveling in mail coaches, the world got ahead better than it does now that salesmen fly through the air. What good is speed if the brain has oozed out on the way? How will the heirs of this age be taught the most basic motions that are necessary to activate the most complicated machines? Nature can rely on progress; it will avenge it for the outrage it has perpetrated on it.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Theatre and Society, 1912
Human advancement often harms nature, and speed can outpace thoughtful progress, leading to ecological backlash.
In simple terms: Progress can damage nature and outpace thought.
Key Takeaway
Balance speed with ecological wisdom.
Themes
environment
technology
ethics
progress
humanity
Mood
concerned
critical
Type
philosophical
warning
When to use this quote
- Urban planning
- Technology development
- Environmental policy
- Education reform
Key Concepts
Ecology
Industrialization
Cognitive overload
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we ensure technology serves nature?
- What safeguards protect against unchecked progress?
A Different Perspective
Rapid change can cause irreversible damage without safeguards.
