--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Despite our very recent appearance on the…" description: "\"Despite our very recent appearance on the planet, humanity combines arrogance with increasing material demands, even as we become more numerous. Our to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/lynn-margulis-17073_against_despite-our-very-recent-appearance-on-th_2964261.jpg" --- # Despite our very recent appearance on the planet, humanity… ![“Despite our very recent appearance on the planet, humanity combines arrogance with increasing material demands, even as we become more numerous. Our toughness is a delusion. Have we the intelligence and discipline to vigilantly guard against our tendency to grow without limit?” quote by Lynn Margulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/lynn-margulis-17073_against_despite-our-very-recent-appearance-on-th_2964261.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/lynn-margulis-17073_against_despite-our-very-recent-appearance-on-th_2964261.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/lynn-margulis-17073_against_despite-our-very-recent-appearance-on-th_2964261.jpg) > “Despite our very recent appearance on the planet, humanity combines arrogance with increasing material demands, even as we become more numerous. Our toughness is a delusion. Have we the intelligence and discipline to vigilantly guard against our tendency to grow without limit?” [Lynn Margulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-margulis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humanity’s rapid growth and greed create a fragile illusion of strength, demanding disciplined restraint. **In simple terms:** Human growth is reckless and fragile. Key Takeaway Cultivate humility and sustainable limits. Themes environment human nature growth arrogance Mood concerned reflective Type philosophical warning When to use this quote - policy making - resource management - education - personal development Key Concepts Ecology systems thinking sustainability Questions to Reflect On - How can societies enforce sustainable limits? - What personal habits curb material greed? A Different Perspective Limits may be ignored despite awareness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Against](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/against/) [Appearance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appearance/) [Arrogance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogance/) [Arrogance Increasing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogance-increasing-4529560/) [Become](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/become/) [Delusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delusion/) [Demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demand/) [Demands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demands/) [Despite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despite/) [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Even](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/even/) [Grow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grow/) [Grows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grows/) [Guard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guard/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Humanity Combines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity-combines-4529561/) [Increasing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/increasing/) [Intelligence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligence/) [Limit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limit/) [Limits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limits/) [Material](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/material/) [Materials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/materials/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Numerous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numerous/) [Our](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our/) [Planet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planet/) [Planets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planets/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Recent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recent/) [Tendencies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tendencies/) [Tendency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tendency/) [Toughness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toughness/) [Toughness Delusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toughness-delusion-4529559/) [Very](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very/) [Without](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/without/) ## Related quotes > [Recent results from astronomers who study the occasional gravitational lensing of unknown worlds by intervening stars suggest that orphan planets could be at least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-shostak/recent-results-from-astronomers-who-study-the-occasional/) [Seth Shostak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-shostak/) > [Politicians need a better understanding of global ecology. We need to be freed from our species-specific arrogance. No evidence exists that we are 'chosen',…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-margulis/politicians-need-a-better-understanding-of-global-ecology-we-need-to/) [Lynn Margulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-margulis/) > [In the numerous observations made in my laboratory upon this object, we have only once seen a combination of vessels in which there might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-krogh/in-the-numerous-observations-made-in-my-laboratory-upon-this-object/) [August Krogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-krogh/) > [We have numerous examples of perseverance in the scriptures, in secular history, and in our own experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/we-have-numerous-examples-of-perseverance-in-the-scriptures-in/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [You still have only one self and one identity. However, self, identity and personality are not things, they are not objects, and they certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-damasio/you-still-have-only-one-self-and-one-identity-however-self-identity/) [Antonio Damasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-damasio/) > [Oh, I love labels, as long as they are numerous. I'm an American writer. I'm a Nigerian writer. I'm a Nigerian American writer. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teju-cole/oh-i-love-labels-as-long-as-they-are-numerous-i-m-an-american-writer/) [Teju Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teju-cole/) > [I am well aware of the facts presented by numerous security experts on the many ways in which the United States' digital networks have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/i-am-well-aware-of-the-facts-presented-by-numerous-security-experts/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [I made numerous attempts to find a way to do it all, to be a creative singer, songwriter, producer, and to be the mother,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-baker/i-made-numerous-attempts-to-find-a-way-to-do-it-all-to-be-a-creative/) [Anita Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-baker/) > [“Most politicians are corrupt as they do not represent the masses that voted for them, but rather they choose to return numerous favors to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/most-politicians-are-corrupt-as-they-do-not-represent-the-masses-that/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [I said on numerous occasions how I feel about my father. I love him with all my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cam-newton/i-said-on-numerous-occasions-how-i-feel-about-my-father-i-love-him/) [Cam Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cam-newton/) > [On the contrary, I tried on numerous occasions to convince the American president not to go to war. I did what was within my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silvio-berlusconi/on-the-contrary-i-tried-on-numerous-occasions-to-convince-the/) [Silvio Berlusconi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silvio-berlusconi/) > [I do take responsibility for it. I admit to having a problem. I have been to numerous treatment centers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatum-o-neal/i-do-take-responsibility-for-it-i-admit-to-having-a-problem-i-have/) [Tatum O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatum-o-neal/) > [I experienced rejection numerous times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-martin/i-experienced-rejection-numerous-times/) [Coco Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coco-martin/) > [Surrounded by all the members of my dear family, enjoying the affection of numerous friends, who have never abandoned me, and possessing a sufficient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-james-audubon/surrounded-by-all-the-members-of-my-dear-family-enjoying-the/) [John James Audubon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-james-audubon/) > [While most individuals use the flesh of the coconut in their cooking, coconut water and oil are also known to have numerous health benefits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-samuelsson/while-most-individuals-use-the-flesh-of-the-coconut-in-their-cooking/) [Marcus Samuelsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-samuelsson/) ## More by Lynn Margulis > [My work more than didn't fit in. It crossed willy-nilly the boundaries that people had spent their lives building up. It hits some 30…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-margulis/my-work-more-than-didn-t-fit-in-it-crossed-willy-nilly-the-boundaries/) [Lynn Margulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-margulis/) > [“Natural selection eliminates and maybe maintains, but it doesn't create... Neo-Darwinists say that new species emerge when mutations occur and modify an organism. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-margulis/natural-selection-eliminates-and-maybe-maintains-but-it-doesn-t/) [Lynn Margulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-margulis/) > [“Possibly here in the Holocene, or just before ten or twenty thousand years ago, life hit a peek of diversity. Then we appeared. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-margulis/possibly-here-in-the-holocene-or-just-before-ten-or-twenty-thousand/) [Lynn Margulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-margulis/) > [“New mutations don't create new species; they create offspring that are impaired.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-margulis/new-mutations-don-t-create-new-species-they-create-offspring-that-are/) [Lynn Margulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-margulis/) > [All scientists agree that evolution has occurred-that all life comes from a common ancestry, that there has been extinction, and that new taxa, new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-margulis/all-scientists-agree-that-evolution-has-occurred-that-all-life-comes/) [Lynn Margulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-margulis/) > [I was taught over and over again that the accumulation of random mutations led to evolutionary change - led to new species. I believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-margulis/i-was-taught-over-and-over-again-that-the-accumulation-of-random/) [Lynn Margulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-margulis/) > [Evolution is no linear family tree, but change in the single multidimensional being that has grown to cover the entire surface of Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-margulis/evolution-is-no-linear-family-tree-but-change-in-the-single/) [Lynn Margulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-margulis/) > [We are unconscious of most of our body's processes, thank goodness, because we'd screw it up if we weren't. The human body is so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-margulis/we-are-unconscious-of-most-of-our-body-s-processes-thank-goodness/) [Lynn Margulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-margulis/) > [People say I am against Darwin. That is ridiculous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-margulis/people-say-i-am-against-darwin-that-is-ridiculous/) [Lynn Margulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-margulis/) > [The urgency to mate persists in all people as in all other mammals because of the evolutionary drive to continue the species, the inborn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-margulis/the-urgency-to-mate-persists-in-all-people-as-in-all-other-mammals/) [Lynn Margulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-margulis/) > [Why does everybody agree that atmospheric oxygen comes from life, but no one speaks about the other gases coming from life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-margulis/why-does-everybody-agree-that-atmospheric-oxygen-comes-from-life-but/) [Lynn Margulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-margulis/) > [The fewer species there are and the fewer species we know about, the fewer questions we even know to ask.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-margulis/the-fewer-species-there-are-and-the-fewer-species-we-know-about-the/) [Lynn Margulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-margulis/) > [Life on earth is such a good story you cannot afford to miss the beginning... Beneath our superficial differences we are all of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-margulis/life-on-earth-is-such-a-good-story-you-cannot-afford-to-miss-the/) [Lynn Margulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-margulis/) > [The idea that we are "stewards of the earth" is another symptom of human arrogance. Imagine yourself with the task of overseeing your body's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-margulis/the-idea-that-we-are-stewards-of-the-earth-is-another-symptom-of/) [Lynn Margulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-margulis/) > [The notion of saving the planet has nothing to do with intellectual honesty or science. The fact is that the planet was here long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-margulis/the-notion-of-saving-the-planet-has-nothing-to-do-with-intellectual/) [Lynn Margulis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-margulis/) [Explore all 38 Lynn Margulis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-margulis/) ## More Against quotes > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I think I am against stereotype. Generally, Asian guys are more quiet - they study and have a good work ethic. Generally, I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-lee/i-think-i-am-against-stereotype-generally-asian-guys-are-more-quiet/) [Bobby Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-lee/) > [I'm not against gay people. I have a relative who is also gay. We can't help it if they were born that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-pacquiao/i-m-not-against-gay-people-i-have-a-relative-who-is-also-gay-we-can-t/) [Manny Pacquiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-pacquiao/) > [It's going to be used in the last days to get people to come against Christ, and that's the issue: they come against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/it-s-going-to-be-used-in-the-last-days-to-get-people-to-come-against/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [We do not know which irresponsible Israeli prime minister will take office and decide to use nuclear weapons in the struggle against neighboring Arab…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordechai-vanunu/we-do-not-know-which-irresponsible-israeli-prime-minister-will-take/) [Mordechai Vanunu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordechai-vanunu/) > [In France they spend six months training policemen, then they give them a gun and put them on the streets, and I don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mathieu-kassovitz/in-france-they-spend-six-months-training-policemen-then-they-give/) [Mathieu Kassovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mathieu-kassovitz/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [My problems are sort of more on a nuisance level. I can't stand scratchy clothes, I've got to have soft kinds of cotton against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/my-problems-are-sort-of-more-on-a-nuisance-level-i-can-t-stand/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [I don't have any regrets or hold any grudge against anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cooper-kupp/i-don-t-have-any-regrets-or-hold-any-grudge-against-anyone/) [Cooper Kupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cooper-kupp/) > [Ronaldo will always score against everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giorgio-chiellini/ronaldo-will-always-score-against-everyone/) [Giorgio Chiellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giorgio-chiellini/) > [Well, just that there would be somebody in the office and the voters - it was more or less an understanding in the entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/well-just-that-there-would-be-somebody-in-the-office-and-the-voters/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/) [Joe Pitts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-pitts/) > [It goes way, way back when we were under Sweden's rule. We always think they are better than us. We played against them so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saku-koivu/it-goes-way-way-back-when-we-were-under-sweden-s-rule-we-always-think/) [Saku Koivu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saku-koivu/) > [I'm against unanswerable concentrations of power, whether that be government or private industry or religious figures - anybody who is not accountable to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-suarez/i-m-against-unanswerable-concentrations-of-power-whether-that-be/) [Daniel Suarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-suarez/) > [I'm an Indian and I shall not do anything that goes against my ethos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherlyn-chopra/i-m-an-indian-and-i-shall-not-do-anything-that-goes-against-my-ethos/) [Sherlyn Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherlyn-chopra/) [Browse all 2,190 Against quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/against/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Despite our very recent appearance on the planet, humanity combines arrogance with increasing material demands, even as we become more numerous. Our toughness is a delusion. Have we the intelligence and discipline to vigilantly guard against our tendency to grow without limit?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lynn Margulis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-margulis/despite-our-very-recent-appearance-on-the-planet-humanity-combines/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Against" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-margulis/despite-our-very-recent-appearance-on-the-planet-humanity-combines/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/lynn-margulis-17073_against_despite-our-very-recent-appearance-on-th_2964261.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/lynn-margulis-17073_against_despite-our-very-recent-appearance-on-th_2964261.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c67/lynn-margulis-17073_against_despite-our-very-recent-appearance-on-th_2964261.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Despite our very recent appearance on the planet, humanity combines arrogance with increasing material…” — Lynn Margulis", "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": "Lynn Margulis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-margulis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Despite our very recent appearance on...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-margulis/despite-our-very-recent-appearance-on-the-planet-humanity-combines/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-margulis/despite-our-very-recent-appearance-on-the-planet-humanity-combines/#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 } } ] } ```