--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What a great time to be born! What a…" description: "\"What a great time to be born! What a great time to be alive! Because this generation gets to essentially completely change the world.\" — Paul Hawken" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de4/paul-hawken-3831_alive_what-a-great-time-to-be-born-what-a-grea_3153901.png" --- # What a great time to be born! What a great time to be… ![“What a great time to be born! What a great time to be alive! Because this generation gets to essentially completely change the world.” quote by Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de4/paul-hawken-3831_alive_what-a-great-time-to-be-born-what-a-grea_3153901.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de4/paul-hawken-3831_alive_what-a-great-time-to-be-born-what-a-grea_3153901.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de4/paul-hawken-3831_alive_what-a-great-time-to-be-born-what-a-grea_3153901.png) > “What a great time to be born! What a great time to be alive! Because this generation gets to essentially completely change the world.” [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker celebrates the current era as a unique chance for this generation to enact profound global change. **In simple terms:** Our time is ripe for big impact. Key Takeaway Seize the moment to drive transformative change. Themes environment activism generational responsibility optimism innovation Mood hopeful determined Type motivational visionary When to use this quote - climate initiatives - policy reform - community projects - technological breakthroughs Key Concepts sustainability social entrepreneurship collective action Questions to Reflect On - What concrete steps can we take now? - How do we sustain momentum over time? A Different Perspective Idealism may overlook practical constraints and resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Change the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-the-world/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generation/) [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [Great times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-times/) [This generation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/this-generation/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [What a great time to be born, what a great time to be alive, because this generation gets to completely change this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/what-a-great-time-to-be-born-what-a-great-time-to-be-alive-because/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [The great thing about the dilemma we're in is that we get to re-imagine every single thing we do...There isn't a single thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/the-great-thing-about-the-dilemma-we-re-in-is-that-we-get-to-re/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [Today's a great time to be any creative type of person, I think, and in just about every aspect of creativity, this generation is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-gordon-levitt/today-s-a-great-time-to-be-any-creative-type-of-person-i-think-and-in/) [Joseph Gordon-Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-gordon-levitt/) > [“Imagine the amazing good fortune of the generation that gets to see the end of the world. This is as marvelous as being there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baudrillard/imagine-the-amazing-good-fortune-of-the-generation-that-gets-to-see-2/) [Jean Baudrillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baudrillard/) > [Imagine the amazing good fortune of the generation that gets to see the end of the world. This is as marvelous as being there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baudrillard/imagine-the-amazing-good-fortune-of-the-generation-that-gets-to-see/) [Jean Baudrillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baudrillard/) > [“Every generation gets stuck in own youth and then scolds succeeding generations for sticking in their youth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryanna-reid/every-generation-gets-stuck-in-own-youth-and-then-scolds-succeeding/) Bryanna Reid > [Every generation gets a chance to change the world Pity the nation that won't listen to your boys and girls Cos the sweetest melody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-toffler/every-generation-gets-a-chance-to-change-the-world-pity-the-nation/) [Alvin Toffler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-toffler/) > [Each generation gets more accepting which is great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willam-belli/each-generation-gets-more-accepting-which-is-great/) [Willam Belli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willam-belli/) > [Every generation gets the Constitution that it deserves. As the central preoccupations of an era make their way into the legal system, the Supreme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-feldman/every-generation-gets-the-constitution-that-it-deserves-as-the/) [Noah Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-feldman/) > [“The Greatest Generation gets too much credit. Those World War II guys, if they had all the shit we have today, they'd be assholes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-c-k-2/the-greatest-generation-gets-too-much-credit-those-world-war-ii-guys/) [Louis C.K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-c-k-2/) > [There is 'a time to be born' - and born again, free of accumulated, encrusted sores of fears and prejudices, old hates, of cancerous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-winslow-johnson/there-is-a-time-to-be-born-and-born-again-free-of-accumulated/) [Josephine Winslow Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-winslow-johnson/) > [There is two big things happend in people life. First is the time they were born. Second is when they found the reason why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-louise/there-is-two-big-things-happend-in-people-life-first-is-the-time-they/) [Donna Louise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-louise/) > [“Life is a cycle, a great wheel that turns throughout time: we are born, we live, we die, and (if we are lucky) we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-bachar/life-is-a-cycle-a-great-wheel-that-turns-throughout-time-we-are-born/) Robyn Bachar > [Physical existence is so cramped.We grow old and bent over like embryos.Nine months passes;it is time to be born. The lamb wants to graze…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/physical-existence-is-so-cramped-we-grow-old-and-bent-over-like/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [In that endless time, we are born in the same age. In that infinite space, to be able to meet and become one with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-a-joong/in-that-endless-time-we-are-born-in-the-same-age-in-that-infinite/) [Kim A-joong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-a-joong/) ## More by Paul Hawken > [Information from destructive activities going back a hundred years right up until today is being incorporated into the system. And as that happens the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/information-from-destructive-activities-going-back-a-hundred-years/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [When the planes still swoop down and aerial spray a field in order to kill a predator insect with pesticides, we are in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/when-the-planes-still-swoop-down-and-aerial-spray-a-field-in-order-to/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [The great thing about the dilemma we're in is that we get to re-imagine every single thing we do...There isn't a single thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/the-great-thing-about-the-dilemma-we-re-in-is-that-we-get-to-re/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [Luck is earned. Luck is working so hard at your craft, service or enterprise that sooner or later you get a break.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/luck-is-earned-luck-is-working-so-hard-at-your-craft-service-or/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [Healing the wounds of the earth and its people does not require saintliness or a political party, only gumption and persistence. It is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/healing-the-wounds-of-the-earth-and-its-people-does-not-require/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [When cattle ranchers clear rain forests to raise beef to sell to fast-food chains that make hamburgers to sell to Americans, who have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/when-cattle-ranchers-clear-rain-forests-to-raise-beef-to-sell-to-fast/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [We are the only species on this planet without full employment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/we-are-the-only-species-on-this-planet-without-full-employment/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [We subsidize the disposal of waste in all its myriad forms — from landfills, to Superfund cleanups, to deep-well injection, to storage of nuclear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/we-subsidize-the-disposal-of-waste-in-all-its-myriad-forms-from/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [Inspiration is not garnered from the litanies of what may befall us; it resides in humanity's willingness to restore, redress, reform, rebuild, recover, reimagine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/inspiration-is-not-garnered-from-the-litanies-of-what-may-befall-us/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [If you look at the science that describes what is happening on earth today and aren't pessimistic, you don’t have the correct data. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/if-you-look-at-the-science-that-describes-what-is-happening-on-earth/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [All is connected ... no one thing can change by itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/all-is-connected-no-one-thing-can-change-by-itself/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [We can no longer prosper by increasing human productivity. The more we try to do, the more poverty we will create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/we-can-no-longer-prosper-by-increasing-human-productivity-the-more-we/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [Throughout the industrial era, economists considered manufactured capital - money, factories, etc. - the principal factor in industrial production, and perceived natural capital as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/throughout-the-industrial-era-economists-considered-manufactured/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [his planet came with a set of instructions, but we seem to have misplaced them. Important rules like don’t poison the water, soil, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/his-planet-came-with-a-set-of-instructions-but-we-seem-to-have/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) > [Sustainability, ensuring the future of life on Earth, is an infinite game, the endless expression of generosity on behalf of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-hawken/sustainability-ensuring-the-future-of-life-on-earth-is-an-infinite/) [Paul Hawken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) [Explore all 121 Paul Hawken quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-hawken/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What a great time to be born! What a great time to be alive! 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