--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We want to believe that we can continue…" description: "\"We want to believe that we can continue doing what we've done for the past thousand years and not worry about the consequences coming back to us.\" — Sy..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/sylvia-earle-1756_believe_we-want-to-believe-that-we-can-continue_2166170.jpg" --- # We want to believe that we can continue doing what we've… ![“We want to believe that we can continue doing what we've done for the past thousand years and not worry about the consequences coming back to us.” quote by Sylvia Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/sylvia-earle-1756_believe_we-want-to-believe-that-we-can-continue_2166170.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/sylvia-earle-1756_believe_we-want-to-believe-that-we-can-continue_2166170.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/sylvia-earle-1756_believe_we-want-to-believe-that-we-can-continue_2166170.jpg) > “We want to believe that we can continue doing what we've done for the past thousand years and not worry about the consequences coming back to us.” [Sylvia Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humanity clings to old practices, ignoring future environmental consequences. **In simple terms:** Old habits ignore future impacts. Key Takeaway Adopt sustainable practices. Themes environment tradition consequence Mood hopeful urgent Type activist inspirational When to use this quote - policy making - education - business strategy - personal lifestyle Key Concepts sustainability ecological risk Questions to Reflect On - What motivates change in societies? - How can we balance tradition with innovation? A Different Perspective Changing deep-rooted habits is challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Consequence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consequence/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Thousand years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand-years/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/) ## Related quotes > [“Exactly. That's what's been happening here for the past ten thousand years: You've been doing what you damn well please with the world. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-quinn/exactly-that-s-what-s-been-happening-here-for-the-past-ten-thousand/) [Daniel Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-quinn/) > [If we go on as we are, we will destroy in the next century everything that the poets have been singing about for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-bodsworth/if-we-go-on-as-we-are-we-will-destroy-in-the-next-century-everything/) Fred Bodsworth > [“As we got closer to Montauk, she seemed to grow younger, years of worry and work disappearing from her face. Her eyes turned the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/as-we-got-closer-to-montauk-she-seemed-to-grow-younger-years-of-worry/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Going to college will not guarantee you a job, but it will give you four years to worry about getting one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/going-to-college-will-not-guarantee-you-a-job-but-it-will-give-you/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [“A Chinese proverb goes: “We do not live for a hundred years but worry enough for a thousand” (Char, 1970, p. 15).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-brian-ogawa/a-chinese-proverb-goes-we-do-not-live-for-a-hundred-years-but-worry/) [Dr. Brian Ogawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-brian-ogawa/) > [I believe we can continue the Great Society while we fight in Vietnam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/i-believe-we-can-continue-the-great-society-while-we-fight-in-vietnam/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [I dont believe you, continue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-schrute/i-dont-believe-you-continue/) [Dwight Schrute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-schrute/) > [Hard work pays off!! Put in that time stay on your grind!! Believe in yourself n continue to push forward we all blessed!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hard-work-pays-off-put-in-that-time-stay-on-your-grind-believe-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I know what I believe. I will continue to articulate what I believe and what I believe - I believe what I believe is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-know-what-i-believe-i-will-continue-to-articulate-what-i-believe/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [The very energy sources that have gotten us to where we are now are also, if we continue doing what we're doing, a shortcut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/the-very-energy-sources-that-have-gotten-us-to-where-we-are-now-are/) [Sylvia Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/) > [I'll continue doing what I do, whether in the Philippines, here in the U.S., or elsewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pia-wurtzbach/i-ll-continue-doing-what-i-do-whether-in-the-philippines-here-in-the/) [Pia Wurtzbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pia-wurtzbach/) > [I'll continue doing 'Jingle Belle' as long as I've got a good story for her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dini/i-ll-continue-doing-jingle-belle-as-long-as-i-ve-got-a-good-story-for/) [Paul Dini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dini/) > [I have the dream to continue being in an art context, but also be able to continue doing stuff in television on the web.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalup-linzy/i-have-the-dream-to-continue-being-in-an-art-context-but-also-be-able/) [Kalup Linzy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalup-linzy/) > [“Continue with whatever it is that you have been doing, except for attachment-abhorrence. If ‘we’ stay in our state of Pure Soul, attachment-abhorrence will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/continue-with-whatever-it-is-that-you-have-been-doing-except-for/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [I'll just continue doing what I'm doing until I'm told otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-page/i-ll-just-continue-doing-what-i-m-doing-until-i-m-told-otherwise/) [Rob Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-page/) ## More by Sylvia Earle > [We still have 10 percent of the sharks. We still have half of the coral reefs. However, if we wait another 50 years, opportunities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/we-still-have-10-percent-of-the-sharks-we-still-have-half-of-the/) [Sylvia Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/) > [Health to the ocean means health for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/health-to-the-ocean-means-health-for-us/) [Sylvia Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/) > [Evolution is not something to be feared. It's to be celebrated, embraced, and understood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/evolution-is-not-something-to-be-feared-it-s-to-be-celebrated/) [Sylvia Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/) > [We are depleting this immense diversity and abundance of life, and it matters tremendously for the future of the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/we-are-depleting-this-immense-diversity-and-abundance-of-life-and-it/) [Sylvia Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/) > [My mother was known as the 'bird lady' of the neighborhood. Anything injured, or any unusual creature somebody found, they would always come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/my-mother-was-known-as-the-bird-lady-of-the-neighborhood-anything/) [Sylvia Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/) > [There is this sweet spot in time when we have an opportunity to stop killing sharks and tunas and swordfish and other wildlife in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/there-is-this-sweet-spot-in-time-when-we-have-an-opportunity-to-stop/) [Sylvia Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/) > [The sudden release of five million barrels of oil, enormous quantities of methane and two million gallons of toxic dispersants into an already greatly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/the-sudden-release-of-five-million-barrels-of-oil-enormous-quantities/) [Sylvia Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/) > [I've always said, 'Underwater or on top, men and women are compatible.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/i-ve-always-said-underwater-or-on-top-men-and-women-are-compatible/) [Sylvia Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/) > [With respect to the ocean being the heart of our blue planet: We are often asked, 'How much protection is enough?' We can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/with-respect-to-the-ocean-being-the-heart-of-our-blue-planet-we-are/) [Sylvia Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/) > [If the sea is sick, we'll feel it. If it dies, we die. Our future and the state of the oceans are one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/if-the-sea-is-sick-we-ll-feel-it-if-it-dies-we-die-our-future-and-the/) [Sylvia Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/) > [The ocean seemed like a sea of Eden. But now we are facing paradise lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/the-ocean-seemed-like-a-sea-of-eden-but-now-we-are-facing-paradise/) [Sylvia Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/) > [When you think about the real cost of so-called cheap energy that has driven our prosperity to unprecedented levels, for some of us, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/when-you-think-about-the-real-cost-of-so-called-cheap-energy-that-has/) [Sylvia Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/) > [When I arrived on the planet, there were only two billion. Wildlife was more abundant, we were less so; now the situation is reversed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/when-i-arrived-on-the-planet-there-were-only-two-billion-wildlife-was/) [Sylvia Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/) > [I've had the joy of spending thousands of hours under the sea. I wish I could take people along to see what I see,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/i-ve-had-the-joy-of-spending-thousands-of-hours-under-the-sea-i-wish/) [Sylvia Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/) > [The observations that have developed over the years have given us perspective about where we fit in. We are newcomers, really recent arrivals on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/the-observations-that-have-developed-over-the-years-have-given-us/) [Sylvia Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/) [Explore all 211 Sylvia Earle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [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 don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We want to believe that we can continue doing what we've done for the past thousand years and not worry about the consequences coming back to us.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sylvia Earle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/we-want-to-believe-that-we-can-continue-doing-what-we-ve-done-for-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/we-want-to-believe-that-we-can-continue-doing-what-we-ve-done-for-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/sylvia-earle-1756_believe_we-want-to-believe-that-we-can-continue_2166170.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/sylvia-earle-1756_believe_we-want-to-believe-that-we-can-continue_2166170.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/sylvia-earle-1756_believe_we-want-to-believe-that-we-can-continue_2166170.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We want to believe that we can continue doing what we've done for the past thousand years and not worry…” — Sylvia Earle", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sylvia Earle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-earle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We want to believe that we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/we-want-to-believe-that-we-can-continue-doing-what-we-ve-done-for-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-earle/we-want-to-believe-that-we-can-continue-doing-what-we-ve-done-for-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```