Carbon emissions Quote by Rutger Bregman
““Welcome, in other words, to the Land of Plenty. To the good life, where almost everyone is rich, safe, and healthy. Where there’s only one thing we lack: a reason to get out of bed in the morning. Because, after all, you can’t really improve on paradise. Back in 1989, the American philosopher Francis Fukuyama already noted that we had arrived in an era where life has been reduced to “economic calculation, the endless solving of technical problems, environmental concerns, and the satisfaction of sophisticated consumer demands.”18 Notching up our purchasing power another percentage point, or shaving a couple off our carbon emissions; perhaps a new gadget – that’s about the extent of our vision. We live in an era of wealth and overabundance, but how bleak it is. There is “neither art nor philosophy,” Fukuyama says. All that’s left is the “perpetual caretaking of the museum of human history.” According to Oscar Wilde, upon reaching the Land of Plenty, we should once more fix our gaze on the farthest horizon and rehoist the sails. “Progress is the realization of Utopias,” he wrote. But””
About This Quote
Source Book: Utopia for Realists, Rutger Bregman, 2014
Abundance can lead to existential emptiness; without purpose, material wealth feels hollow, urging a search for meaning beyond comfort.
In simple terms: Wealth without purpose feels empty.
Key Takeaway
Seek purpose beyond material comfort.
Themes
purpose
wealth
existential
society
Mood
thoughtful
contemplative
inspired
Type
sociological
motivational
When to use this quote
- career planning
- community service
- creative projects
- mental health counseling
Key Concepts
Philosophy of happiness
meaning of life
post-scarcity society
Questions to Reflect On
- What gives you purpose beyond material success?
- How can societies foster meaning in times of abundance?
A Different Perspective
May ignore structural issues that limit purpose for many.
