Age Quote by Lancelot Hogben
“This is not the age of pamphleteers. It is the age of the engineers. The spark-gap is mightier than the pen. Democracy will not be salvaged by men who talk fluently, debate forcefully and quote aptly.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Age of Engineers, 1935
Engineers now shape society more than writers; technical skill outweighs rhetorical flair.
In simple terms: Engineers dominate modern influence.
Key Takeaway
Value technical expertise.
Themes
technology
democracy
communication
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
philosophical
commentary
When to use this quote
- policy design
- education reform
- public discourse
Key Concepts
engineering
media theory
Questions to Reflect On
- How can engineers improve public communication?
- What role does rhetoric play in democracy?
A Different Perspective
Rhetoric still matters for persuasion.
![“There was no way possible [the queen] could have done all of the things the pamphleteers claimed. The crimes were too gross, too immoral and far too physically challenging. Magnus himself had never attempted half of them.” quote by Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0ce/cassandra-clare-9_challenges_there-was-no-way-possible-the-queen-coul_617165.jpg)
![“[An engineer's] invention causes things to come into existence from ideas, makes world conform to thought; whereas science, by deriving ideas from observation, makes thought conform to existence.” quote by Carl Mitcham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/08a/carl-mitcham-111336_accounts_an-engineer-s-invention-causes-things-to_37806.jpg)
![“I'm going to be specific so you can render your verdict. Let's go to North Africa, she was the chief engineer of the disastrous overthrow of [Muamar] Qaddafi in Libya. Libya today after Hillary Clinton's grand strategy? Their economy's in ruins. There's death and violence on the streets, and ISIS…” quote by Chris Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/4ec/chris-christie-1382_chiefs_i-m-going-to-be-specific-so-you-can-rend_31343.jpg)
