When I was a child, I saw my father diving to the deepest point in the ocean with the U.S. Navy.
Pioneering spirit should continue, not to conquer the planet or space ... but rather to improve the quality of life.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of using our pioneering spirit to enhance life rather than pursuing domination over the earth or universe.
Bertrand Piccard's quote reflects the idea that the true essence of exploration and innovation should be aimed at improving human existence and the quality of life on our planet, rather than seeking control over resources or territories. It suggests that as we continue to explore and push boundaries, our focus should be on creating a better world for everyone, fostering well-being, sustainability, and respect for our environment.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about innovation in technology, this quote highlights the duty of engineers to prioritize humanity's needs.
More from Bertrand Piccard
All quotes βThe way the public sees it is this. If we don't leave, we are idiots. If we do leave but don't succeed in our mission, we are incompetent. But if we do succeed, it's because it was easy and anyone could have done it.
Nothing can prevent us from another day and night, and the myth of perpetual flight.
Adventure is something out of the usual pattern, a point at which you cannot avoid confronting the unknown, so that you have to dig inside yourself to find the courage and resources to deal with what may lie ahead, and to succeed.
What the history of aviation has brought in the 20th century should inspire us to be inventors and explorers ourselves in the new century.
Welcome to those who believe in the power of dreams and who would like to join me in my exploration of life.
Similar quotes
Without adventure civilization is in full decay. ... The great fact [is] that in their day the great achievements of the past were the adventures of the past.
When men have come to the edge of a precipice, it is the lover of life who has the spirit to leap backwards, and only the pessimist who continues to believe in progress.
I have come to the conclusion that executions solve nothing, and are only an antiquated relic of a primitive desire for revenge which takes the easy way and hands over the responsibility for revenge to other people...The trouble with the death penalty has always been that nobody wanted it for everybody, but everybody differed about who should get off.
Men's evil manners live in brass; their virtues we write in water.
Any system which says, This is a rotten world, wait for the next, give up, do nothing, succumb--that may be the basic Lie and if we participate in believing it and acting (or rather not acting) on it we involve ourselves in the Lie and suffer dreadfully... which only reinforces that particular Lie.
We are all racing towards death. No matter how many great, intellectual conclusions we draw during our lives, we know they're all only man-made, like God. I begin to wonder where it all leads. What can you do, except do what you can do as best you know how.