Accomplished Quote by R. Buckminster Fuller
“We are operating at an overall mechanical efficiency of only four percent... Therefore, we find that if we increase the overall mechanical efficiency to only twelve percent we can take care of everybody. That three-fold increase in the overall efficiency can only be accomplished by redesign.”
About This Quote
Current systems operate at low efficiency; increasing efficiency threefold requires redesign.
In simple terms: We’re inefficient; redesign can boost performance.
Key Takeaway
Redesign to improve systemic efficiency.
Themes
efficiency
design
systems engineering
Mood
analytical
urgent
Type
technical
strategic
When to use this quote
- policy reform
- product development
- urban planning
- energy infrastructure
Key Concepts
industrial processes
resource management
Questions to Reflect On
- What incentives drive large‑scale redesign?
- How can we measure efficiency gains accurately?
A Different Perspective
Redesign may face economic and political resistance.
![“[U]nless oppressed groups stick together, and on alliances of self interest rather than do-goodism; nothing can be accomplished in the long run to dismantle the apparatus of oppression.” quote by Shulamith Firestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d7b/shulamith-firestone-12980_accomplished_u-nless-oppressed-groups-stick-together_5485.jpg)
