Built Quote by Larry Niven
“We should not have assumed that a political space station could be built.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: Ringworld, 1970
The quote warns against overconfidence in predicting future technology without sufficient evidence.
In simple terms: Don’t assume impossible tech will appear.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions about feasibility.
Themes
technology
speculation
humility
Mood
cautious
analytical
Type
cautionary
reflective
When to use this quote
- space program planning
- policy making
- science fiction writing
Key Concepts
future studies
risk assessment
Questions to Reflect On
- What evidence supports your tech predictions?
- How can we test feasibility early?
A Different Perspective
Assumptions may overlook practical constraints and costs.
![“One of the revelations in that book [Lincoln in the Bardo] for me was this idea about citizenship. Even that word - citizenship - for someone my age, it makes me cringe. But, to me, the political space we're in now argues for a reboot of fairly simple ideas and the examination of the way that…” quote by George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6e1/george-saunders-317_age_one-of-the-revelations-in-that-book-linc_1717410.jpg)
