Bad idea Quote by Ronald Wright
““Civilization is an experiment, a very recent way of life in the human career, and it has a habit of walking into what I am calling progress traps. A small village on good land beside a river is a good idea; but when the village grows into a city and paves over the good land, it becomes a bad idea. While prevention might have been easy, a cure may be impossible: a city isn't easily moved. This human inability to foresee -- or to watch out for -- long-range consequences may be inherent to our kind, shaped by the millions of years when we lived from hand to mouth by hunting and gathering. It may also be little more than a mix of inertia, greed, and foolishness encouraged by the shape of the social pyramid. The concentration of power at the top of large-scale societies gives the elite a vested interest in the status quo; they continue to prosper in darkening times long after the environment and general populace begin to suffer. (109)””
About This Quote
Civilization’s rapid expansion creates systemic blind spots, turning initially beneficial settlements into unsustainable urban traps that are hard to reverse.
In simple terms: Progress can become a trap when growth outpaces foresight.
Key Takeaway
Scale can undermine sustainability.
Themes
urbanization
environmental impact
social inertia
power dynamics
historical cycles
Mood
reflective
cautious
critical
Type
philosophical
sociopolitical
environmental
When to use this quote
- city planning
- environmental policy
- urban development
- historical analysis
- sustainability assessments
Key Concepts
progress traps
resource degradation
elite interests
human cognition
Practical Applications
- designing resilient cities
- reforming governance structures
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies balance growth with long-term ecological health?
- What mechanisms can curb elite resistance to necessary change?
A Different Perspective
Some argue that technological innovation can mitigate progress traps, though this often depends on political will and equitable resource distribution.
![“Soon after man shows up in new lands, the big game starts to go missing. […] A bad smell of extinction follows Home sapiens around the world. (37)” quote by Ronald Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ad5/ronald-wright-25212_around-the-world_soon-after-man-shows-up-in-new-lands-the_2147648.jpg)
