108 Quotes by Stewart Brand

In the genre of science fiction it is more important to be fruitfully mistaken than dully accurate. That’s why we are science fiction writers, not scientists.

At present, the best low-carbon source is nuclear.

One advantage of a solar collector in space: It would be some kind of origami thing that would unfold and be relatively light because it doesn’t have gravity to deal with.

When a fantasy turns you on, you’re obligated to God and nature to start doing it right away.

Imagine a world in which time seems to vanish and space becomes completely malleable. Where the gap between need or desire and fulfillment collapses to zero.

Carbon tax has the advantage of basically being able to subsidize one set of activities that you want with another set of activities that you don’t want. It’s like a cigarette tax.

Eternity is the opposite of a long time.

Whenever I hear the word “share” I would reach for a gun if I had one. “Share” is frequently followed by the word “feelings”, and I have enough of my own thank you; please do us both a favor and repress yours.

Bateson proposed that the metaphor of “mother Earth” is no longer accurate or helpful. Human impact on nature is now so complete and irreversible that we’re better off thinking of the planet as if it were our first child. It will be here after us. Its future is unknown and uncontrollable. We are forced to plan ahead for it. Our first obligation is to keep it from harm. We are learning from it how to be decent parents.