--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Living systems are never in equilibrium…" description: "\"Living systems are never in equilibrium. They are inherently unstable. They may seem stable, but they’re not. Everything is moving and changing. In a s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/michael-crichton-694_collapse_living-systems-are-never-in-equilibrium_2126926.jpg" --- # Living systems are never in equilibrium. They are… ![“Living systems are never in equilibrium. They are inherently unstable. They may seem stable, but they’re not. Everything is moving and changing. In a sense, everything is on the edge of collapse.” quote by Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/michael-crichton-694_collapse_living-systems-are-never-in-equilibrium_2126926.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/michael-crichton-694_collapse_living-systems-are-never-in-equilibrium_2126926.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/michael-crichton-694_collapse_living-systems-are-never-in-equilibrium_2126926.jpg) > “Living systems are never in equilibrium. They are inherently unstable. They may seem stable, but they’re not. Everything is moving and changing. In a sense, everything is on the edge of collapse.” [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living systems are constantly changing and near collapse, not static equilibrium. **In simple terms:** Life is always unstable and moving. Key Takeaway Expect constant change. Themes biology systems theory instability Mood thoughtful scientific Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - environmental monitoring - healthcare systems - technology development Key Concepts entropy dynamic equilibrium Questions to Reflect On - How do you manage uncertainty in dynamic systems? - What safeguards can prevent collapse? A Different Perspective Stability can be achieved through regulation despite inherent instability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Collapse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collapse/) [Equilibrium](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equilibrium/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [The point in lifeis to find equilibrium in what is inherently unstable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-reverdy/the-point-in-lifeis-to-find-equilibrium-in-what-is-inherently-unstable/) [Pierre Reverdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-reverdy/) > [As there must be moderation in other things, so there must be moderation in self-criticism. Perpetual contemplation of our own actions produces a morbid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/as-there-must-be-moderation-in-other-things-so-there-must-be/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [ In progressive societies the concentration\[of wealth\] may reach a point where the strength of number in the many poor rivals the strength of ability… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/in-progressive-societies-the-concentration-of-wealth-may-reach-a/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [I put forward a pretty general theory that financial markets are intrinsically unstable. That we really have a false picture when we think about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/i-put-forward-a-pretty-general-theory-that-financial-markets-are/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [The equilibrium you admire in me is an unstable one, difficult to maintain. My inner life was split early between the call of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopold-sedar-senghor/the-equilibrium-you-admire-in-me-is-an-unstable-one-difficult-to/) [Leopold Sedar Senghor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leopold-sedar-senghor/) > [Peace is an unstable equilibrium, which can be preserved only by acknowledged supremacy or equal power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/peace-is-an-unstable-equilibrium-which-can-be-preserved-only-by/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [There are living systems; there is no'living matter'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/there-are-living-systems-there-is-no-living-matter/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [Man's health and well-being depends upon, among many things, the proper functioning of the myriad proteins that participate in the intricate synergisms of living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanford-moore/man-s-health-and-well-being-depends-upon-among-many-things-the-proper/) Stanford Moore > [“Digital organizations are like the living systems that can self-renew in thriving as the high-performance businesses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-zhu/digital-organizations-are-like-the-living-systems-that-can-self-renew/) [Pearl Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-zhu/) > [“As a biologist, Piaget considered cognitive development to be part of a much more general tendency of living systems to grow, change, improve and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrich-m-ller/as-a-biologist-piaget-considered-cognitive-development-to-be-part-of/) [Ulrich Müller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrich-m-ller/) > [There are living systems; there is no living "matter." No substance, no single molecule, extracted and isolated from a living being possess, of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/there-are-living-systems-there-is-no-living-matter-no-substance-no/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [Self-production: the characteristic of living systems to continuously renew themselves and to regulate this process in such a way that the integrity of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-j-wheatley/self-production-the-characteristic-of-living-systems-to-continuously/) [Margaret J. Wheatley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-j-wheatley/) > [Most people have forgotten how to live with living creatures, with living systems and that, in turn, is the reason why man, whenever he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/most-people-have-forgotten-how-to-live-with-living-creatures-with/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [We must preserve our planet and grow our economy simultaneously. We cannot become more prosperous without the living systems upon which our prosperity depends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/we-must-preserve-our-planet-and-grow-our-economy-simultaneously-we/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [It is often said that the progression from simple to complex runs counter to the normal statistics of chance that are formalized in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/it-is-often-said-that-the-progression-from-simple-to-complex-runs/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) ## More by Michael Crichton > [They are focused on whether they can do something. They never think whether they should do something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/they-are-focused-on-whether-they-can-do-something-they-never-think/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [This is the gift of your species and this is the danger, because you do not choose to control your imaginings. You imagine wonderful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/this-is-the-gift-of-your-species-and-this-is-the-danger-because-you/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [“it is important to recognize that the behavior of the two antagonists mirrors each other, like a Rorschach inkblot. The value of a Rorschach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/it-is-important-to-recognize-that-the-behavior-of-the-two-antagonists/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [Exercise invigorates the body and sharpens the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/exercise-invigorates-the-body-and-sharpens-the-mind/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [Social control is best managed through fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/social-control-is-best-managed-through-fear/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [They always say they didn't. I never heard of one who said, 'You know, I deserve this.' Never happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/they-always-say-they-didn-t-i-never-heard-of-one-who-said-you-know-i/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [Friendships are nice. So is competence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/friendships-are-nice-so-is-competence/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [I can tell you that second hand smoke is not a health hazard to anyone and never was, and the EPA has always known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/i-can-tell-you-that-second-hand-smoke-is-not-a-health-hazard-to/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [As the practical value of altering consciousness becomes recognized, procedures to effect these alterations will become increasingly ordinary and unremarkable. The whole concept of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/as-the-practical-value-of-altering-consciousness-becomes-recognized/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [In any case, you read with exasperation or amusement the multiple errors in a story-and then turn the page to national or international affairs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/in-any-case-you-read-with-exasperation-or-amusement-the-multiple/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [Books aren't written - they're rewritten. Including your own. It is one of the hardest things to accept, especially after the seventh rewrite hasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/books-aren-t-written-they-re-rewritten-including-your-own-it-is-one/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [The purpose of life is to stay alive. Watch any animal in nature--all it tries to do is stay alive. It doesn't care about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/the-purpose-of-life-is-to-stay-alive-watch-any-animal-in-nature-all/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [One of the things that Americans, as a multiracial society, feel is a tremendous sensitivity to racial comments of all kinds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/one-of-the-things-that-americans-as-a-multiracial-society-feel-is-a/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [Nobody smart knows what they want to do until they get into their twenties or thirties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/nobody-smart-knows-what-they-want-to-do-until-they-get-into-their/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [This fascination with computer models is something I understand very well. Richard Feynmann called it a disease. I fear he is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/this-fascination-with-computer-models-is-something-i-understand-very/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) [Explore all 386 Michael Crichton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) ## More Collapse quotes > [We can't have a government that will collapse in three months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-varadkar/we-can-t-have-a-government-that-will-collapse-in-three-months/) [Leo Varadkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-varadkar/) > [I was too tired to think. I merely felt the town as a unique unreality. What was it? I knew -- the moon's picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-too-tired-to-think-i-merely-felt-the-town-as-a-unique-unreality/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Fortunately, the mind is restless; when it uncovers a layer of its own deception, gives up an illusion, exposes a lie, it does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-chernin/fortunately-the-mind-is-restless-when-it-uncovers-a-layer-of-its-own/) [Kim Chernin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-chernin/) > [ Corruption could lead to the collapse of the Party \[Communist Party of China\] and the downfall of the state \[People's Republic of China\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xi-jinping/corruption-could-lead-to-the-collapse-of-the-party-communist-party-of/) [Xi Jinping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xi-jinping/) > [The Roman world is in collapse but we do not bend our neck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-jerome/the-roman-world-is-in-collapse-but-we-do-not-bend-our-neck/) [St. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-jerome/) > [Just take one thing out and the whole palace, the whole edifice of the human mind collapses. Take effort out of it and desiring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/just-take-one-thing-out-and-the-whole-palace-the-whole-edifice-of-the/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [The economic position is only flourishing on the surface. Germany is in fact dancing on a volcano. If the short-term credits are called in,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustav-stresemann/the-economic-position-is-only-flourishing-on-the-surface-germany-is/) [Gustav Stresemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustav-stresemann/) > [The infrastructure will collapse. Voltage spikes. Throw your keys in the bowl. Kiss your husband goodnight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radiohead/the-infrastructure-will-collapse-voltage-spikes-throw-your-keys-in/) [Radiohead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radiohead/) > [I love that the collapse of The Other Side is being felt in both 'The Vampire Diaries' and 'The Originals' universes - as someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-serle/i-love-that-the-collapse-of-the-other-side-is-being-felt-in-both-the/) [Rebecca Serle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-serle/) > [NAFTA, by itself, will not collapse. The possibility is that the United States leaves the treaty, but the treaty itself would keep regulating relations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ildefonso-guajardo-villarreal/nafta-by-itself-will-not-collapse-the-possibility-is-that-the-united/) [Ildefonso Guajardo Villarreal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ildefonso-guajardo-villarreal/) > [I was planning on writing a detailed review of several books on web security tonight, but the Obama collapse has superseded my best-laid plans.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-foster-johnson/i-was-planning-on-writing-a-detailed-review-of-several-books-on-web/) [Charles Foster Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-foster-johnson/) > [The State of Israel is not collapsing and will not collapse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-sharon/the-state-of-israel-is-not-collapsing-and-will-not-collapse/) [Ariel Sharon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-sharon/) > [One of the problems with industrialism is that it's based on the premise of more and more. It has to keep expanding to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dora-russell/one-of-the-problems-with-industrialism-is-that-it-s-based-on-the/) [Dora Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dora-russell/) > [You will learn that at higher levels of energy, our fields of prayer act very quickly to bring us exactly what we expect. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-redfield/you-will-learn-that-at-higher-levels-of-energy-our-fields-of-prayer/) [James Redfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-redfield/) > [Break your every dream, every pleasure collapse angered by themselves are seen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/break-your-every-dream-every-pleasure-collapse-angered-by-themselves/) Mak\_786 [Browse all 907 Collapse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collapse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Living systems are never in equilibrium. They are inherently unstable. They may seem stable, but they’re not. Everything is moving and changing. In a sense, everything is on the edge of collapse.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Crichton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/living-systems-are-never-in-equilibrium-they-are-inherently-unstable/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Collapse" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/living-systems-are-never-in-equilibrium-they-are-inherently-unstable/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/michael-crichton-694_collapse_living-systems-are-never-in-equilibrium_2126926.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/michael-crichton-694_collapse_living-systems-are-never-in-equilibrium_2126926.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bcd/michael-crichton-694_collapse_living-systems-are-never-in-equilibrium_2126926.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Living systems are never in equilibrium. They are inherently unstable. They may seem stable, but they’re…” — Michael Crichton", "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": "Michael Crichton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Living systems are never in equilibrium....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/living-systems-are-never-in-equilibrium-they-are-inherently-unstable/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/living-systems-are-never-in-equilibrium-they-are-inherently-unstable/#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 } } ] } ```