We do not choose survival as a value, it chooses us.
B. F. SkinnerRead
Fame is also won at the expense of others. Even the well-deserved honors of the scientist or man of learning are unfair to many persons of equal achievements who get none. When one man gets a place in the sun, the others are put in a denser shade. From the point of view of the whole group there's no gain whatsoever, and perhaps a loss.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Fame often overshadows the contributions of others, resulting in a net loss for society.
This quote by B. F. Skinner reflects on the idea that while fame and recognition may be awarded to individuals, it often comes at the cost of overlooking the equal contributions of many others within the same field. It highlights that the success of one does not necessarily lead to a benefit for all, suggesting that such accolades can create imbalances and inequities within groups of achievers.
Themes
FameRecognitionAchievementsInequalitySuccess
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about the ethics of fame in the scientific community.
More from B. F. Skinner
All quotes →Each of us has interests which conflict the interests of everybody else... 'everybody else' we call 'society'. It's a powerful opponent and it always wins. Oh, here and there an individual prevails for a while and gets what he wants. Sometimes he storms the culture of a society and changes it to his own advantage. But society wins in the long run, for it has the advantage of numbers and of age.
B. F. SkinnerRead
No theory changes what it is a theory about; man remains what he has always been.
B. F. SkinnerRead
I am opposed to the military use of animals. I am also opposed to the military use of men.
B. F. SkinnerRead
The ideal of behaviorism is to eliminate coercion: to apply controls by changing the environment in such a way as to reinforce the kind of behavior that benefits everyone.
B. F. SkinnerRead
Unable to understand how or why the person we see behaves as he does, we attribute his behavior to a person we cannot see, whose behavior we cannot explain either but about whom we are not inclined to ask questions.
B. F. SkinnerRead
Similar quotes
History will never change because of politics or conquests or theories or wars; that's mere repitition, it's been going on since the beginning of time. History will only change when we are able to use the energy of love, just as we use energy of the wind, the seas, the atom.
Paulo CoelhoRead
It might not be perfect, but the fundamental stance I adopted with regard to my home was to accept it, problems and all, because it was something I myself had chosen. If it had problems, these were almost certainly problems that had originated within me.
Haruki MurakamiRead
The process of delving into the black abyss is to me the keenest form of fascination.
H. P. LovecraftRead
I show you doubt, to prove that faith exists.
Robert BrowningRead
The whole of the 20th century has always put the car at the center. So by putting the pedestrian first, you create these livable places, I think, with more attraction and interest and character.
Prince CharlesRead
The more I see of Mankind, the more I prefer my dog.
Blaise PascalRead