--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's easy to imagine ways the future can…" description: "\"It's easy to imagine ways the future can be ugly and depressing. It's harder, but more worthwhile, to imagine plausible ways we can make it better.\" — ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/stanley-schmidt-26994_depressing_it-s-easy-to-imagine-ways-the-future-can_3139861.jpg" --- # It's easy to imagine ways the future can be ugly and… ![“It's easy to imagine ways the future can be ugly and depressing. It's harder, but more worthwhile, to imagine plausible ways we can make it better.” quote by Stanley Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/stanley-schmidt-26994_depressing_it-s-easy-to-imagine-ways-the-future-can_3139861.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/stanley-schmidt-26994_depressing_it-s-easy-to-imagine-ways-the-future-can_3139861.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/stanley-schmidt-26994_depressing_it-s-easy-to-imagine-ways-the-future-can_3139861.jpg) > “It's easy to imagine ways the future can be ugly and depressing. It's harder, but more worthwhile, to imagine plausible ways we can make it better.” [Stanley Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-schmidt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Imagining a bleak future is easy; envisioning realistic improvements requires effort but yields greater value. **In simple terms:** Harder to picture better futures, yet more rewarding. Key Takeaway Focus on constructive, plausible futures. Themes future thinking optimism creativity problem solving visioning Mood hopeful inspired pragmatic Type motivational strategic When to use this quote - policy making - product design - education - personal goal setting Key Concepts scenario planning positive psychology innovation Questions to Reflect On - What concrete steps can turn hopeful scenarios into reality? - How do you balance optimism with risk? A Different Perspective Optimism may underestimate challenges; unrealistic visions can mislead. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Depressing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depressing/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Harder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harder/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Imagine Plausible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine-plausible-4805198/) [Imagine Ways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine-ways-4718159/) [Plausible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plausible/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Ugly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ugly/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Ways Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ways-future-5590684/) [Worthwhile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worthwhile/) [Worthwhile Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worthwhile-imagine-5590683/) ## Related quotes > [If we remain wedded to the way education is currently provided we cannot imagine other ways. We need some imagination, some fantasy, some new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hedley-beare/if-we-remain-wedded-to-the-way-education-is-currently-provided-we/) [Hedley Beare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hedley-beare/) > [“...depression is a failure to imagine a plausible desirable future for oneself”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/depression-is-a-failure-to-imagine-a-plausible-desirable-future-for/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [I just wanted to make sure that yes, that those horror - they worked as a genre. To me, I just wanted to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-farmiga/i-just-wanted-to-make-sure-that-yes-that-those-horror-they-worked-as/) [Vera Farmiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-farmiga/) > [Whether or not enlightenment is a plausible goal for us is a vital question for our lives. If it is possible for us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-thurman/whether-or-not-enlightenment-is-a-plausible-goal-for-us-is-a-vital/) [Robert Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-thurman/) > [Tim Kaine has been obviously a governor. He's been a senator. He's one of the smartest rising stars in the Democratic Party. He is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/tim-kaine-has-been-obviously-a-governor-he-s-been-a-senator-he-s-one/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [I mean come on. Do you know how easy it is to be famous these days? Do you have any idea? The web has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/i-mean-come-on-do-you-know-how-easy-it-is-to-be-famous-these-days-do/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > [After we have thought out everything carefully in advance and have sought and found without prejudice the most plausible plan, we must not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/after-we-have-thought-out-everything-carefully-in-advance-and-have/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [“We could probably do it, figure out a plausible way to really get back her, to completely ruin her life. How hard could it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-s-thompson/we-could-probably-do-it-figure-out-a-plausible-way-to-really-get-back/) [Nancy S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-s-thompson/) > [Like my parents, I have never been a regular church member or churchgoer. It doesn't seem plausible to me that there is the kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-spock/like-my-parents-i-have-never-been-a-regular-church-member-or/) [Benjamin Spock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-spock/) > [There is no plausible theory under which the record of the Pentagon Papers can be interpreted as relating to the national defense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-is-no-plausible-theory-under-which-the-record-of-the-pentagon/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I shall give a propagandist reason for starting the war, no matter whether it is plausible or not. The victor will not be asked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-shall-give-a-propagandist-reason-for-starting-the-war-no-matter/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [The plausible outcomes range from the gradual and benign to the more precipitous and damaging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-geithner/the-plausible-outcomes-range-from-the-gradual-and-benign-to-the-more/) [Timothy Geithner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-geithner/) > [As in the instances of alchemy, astrology, witchcraft, and other such popular creeds, political economy, has a plausible idea at the root of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/as-in-the-instances-of-alchemy-astrology-witchcraft-and-other-such/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [It is also plausible that those movements with the greatest inner contradiction and between profession and practice - that is to say with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/it-is-also-plausible-that-those-movements-with-the-greatest-inner/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [It is often sadly remarked that the bad economists present their errors to the public better than the good economists present their truths. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hazlitt/it-is-often-sadly-remarked-that-the-bad-economists-present-their/) [Henry Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hazlitt/) ## More by Stanley Schmidt > [And, of course, some SF is set close enough to here and now that Anglo and European do apply. Since many of the writers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-schmidt/and-of-course-some-sf-is-set-close-enough-to-here-and-now-that-anglo/) [Stanley Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-schmidt/) > [Ideally, I'd like every issue to include a diverse group of stories that meet the qualifications sketched above, but covering a wide range of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-schmidt/ideally-i-d-like-every-issue-to-include-a-diverse-group-of-stories/) [Stanley Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-schmidt/) > [As for sticking strictly to presently known science, I will simply point out that we have already experienced at least two major revolutions in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-schmidt/as-for-sticking-strictly-to-presently-known-science-i-will-simply/) [Stanley Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-schmidt/) > [This means I must pay close attention to the writing, but equally so to the scientific background - which sometimes means doing fairly involved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-schmidt/this-means-i-must-pay-close-attention-to-the-writing-but-equally-so/) [Stanley Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-schmidt/) > [ Through our entire history we have become accustomed to pushing \[animals\] around in ways dictated by our own wants and needs without much regard… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-schmidt/through-our-entire-history-we-have-become-accustomed-to-pushing/) [Stanley Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-schmidt/) > [Of course, the way writers think about those things is almost certain to be affected by their own cultural background, and it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-schmidt/of-course-the-way-writers-think-about-those-things-is-almost-certain/) [Stanley Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-schmidt/) > [intricately and intriguingly woven, lots of fun, and extremely thought provoking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-schmidt/intricately-and-intriguingly-woven-lots-of-fun-and-extremely-thought/) [Stanley Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-schmidt/) > [When something hasn't been around much for a while, and one example of it turns up and catches people's eyes, they go looking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-schmidt/when-something-hasn-t-been-around-much-for-a-while-and-one-example-of/) [Stanley Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-schmidt/) > [Resist the temptation to try to use dazzling style to conceal weakness of substance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-schmidt/resist-the-temptation-to-try-to-use-dazzling-style-to-conceal/) [Stanley Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-schmidt/) > [I think the international appeal of SF is quite understandable since the kinds of people who like to read it, are, by the nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-schmidt/i-think-the-international-appeal-of-sf-is-quite-understandable-since/) [Stanley Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-schmidt/) > [I think the rising and falling popularity of areas like hard SF and far-future SF is, to a considerable extent, the same as any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-schmidt/i-think-the-rising-and-falling-popularity-of-areas-like-hard-sf-and/) [Stanley Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-schmidt/) > [There are a significant number of people who appreciate what we do, and most of them gravitate to Analog because this is where they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-schmidt/there-are-a-significant-number-of-people-who-appreciate-what-we-do/) [Stanley Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-schmidt/) > [Usually if nobody hates a piece, nobody loves it, either; and a magazine which sets itself the goal of provoking thought is not doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-schmidt/usually-if-nobody-hates-a-piece-nobody-loves-it-either-and-a-magazine/) [Stanley Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-schmidt/) > [Don't mistake a good setup for a satisfying conclusion - many beginning writers end their stories when the real story is just ready to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-schmidt/don-t-mistake-a-good-setup-for-a-satisfying-conclusion-many-beginning/) [Stanley Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-schmidt/) > [Blaming society makes it awfully easy for a person of weak character to shrug off his own responsibility for his actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-schmidt/blaming-society-makes-it-awfully-easy-for-a-person-of-weak-character/) [Stanley Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-schmidt/) [Explore all 21 Stanley Schmidt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-schmidt/) ## More Depressing quotes > [We don't make glamorous movies today. Everything now is very realistic, artistic - and depressing. When is the last time you you saw a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-head/we-don-t-make-glamorous-movies-today-everything-now-is-very-realistic/) [Edith Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-head/) > [There is not a country on earth that could get its fiscal house in order by shrinking opportunity and depressing growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/there-is-not-a-country-on-earth-that-could-get-its-fiscal-house-in/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [It is true that from a behavioral economics perspective we are fallible, easily confused, not that smart, and often irrational. We are more like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/it-is-true-that-from-a-behavioral-economics-perspective-we-are/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [Of all the bewildering things about a new country, the absence of human landmarks is one of the most depressing and disheartening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/of-all-the-bewildering-things-about-a-new-country-the-absence-of/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [I think it is kind of depressing how few female filmmakers there are. I think it is in general depressing how few women there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanne-bier/i-think-it-is-kind-of-depressing-how-few-female-filmmakers-there-are/) [Susanne Bier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanne-bier/) > [We're in a situation where talented, motivated school leavers and graduates can send off a hundred CVs and not get a reply, and where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jameela-jamil/we-re-in-a-situation-where-talented-motivated-school-leavers-and/) [Jameela Jamil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jameela-jamil/) > [It's so Canada. On some level, you laugh, but on another level, it's just depressing. We pride ourselves: We're not like the bad old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-backhouse/it-s-so-canada-on-some-level-you-laugh-but-on-another-level-it-s-just/) [Constance Backhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-backhouse/) > [It is, of course, a luxury to create art and, on top of this, to insist on expressing one's own artistic opinion. Nothing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-beckmann/it-is-of-course-a-luxury-to-create-art-and-on-top-of-this-to-insist/) [Max Beckmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-beckmann/) > [Antidepressants sure kill your sexual life...Now, THAT'S depressing!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/antidepressants-sure-kill-your-sexual-life-now-that-s-depressing/) [Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/) > [“They went through the last of the cars and then walked up the track to the locomotive and climbed up to the catwalk. Rust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/they-went-through-the-last-of-the-cars-and-then-walked-up-the-track/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [I read the most extravagant things about people who suffer and depress because of things written about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-jagger/i-read-the-most-extravagant-things-about-people-who-suffer-and/) [Mick Jagger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-jagger/) > [Take the story of Cain and Abel. Why were we given that story? Scientifically, you may have an explanation for it, but I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/take-the-story-of-cain-and-abel-why-were-we-given-that-story/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Despite my extremely modest prices, dealers and art lovers are turning their backs on me. It is very depressing to see the lack of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/despite-my-extremely-modest-prices-dealers-and-art-lovers-are-turning/) [Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/) > [I've seen few things more depressing than the end-of-season Giants-Padres series in 2001 in which Barry Bonds hit his 68th homer of the year…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-rodrick/i-ve-seen-few-things-more-depressing-than-the-end-of-season-giants/) [Stephen Rodrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-rodrick/) > [Everything we do really is just a little marker on the long road to death. And sometimes that’s overwhelmingly depressing to me, and sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/everything-we-do-really-is-just-a-little-marker-on-the-long-road-to/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) [Browse all 888 Depressing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depressing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's easy to imagine ways the future can be ugly and depressing. 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