# Modern Society & Technology *On civilization, scientific advancement, and the limits of progress* --- ### Real Technology > This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is also another technology. Unfortunately, in the modern state of civilization there are different departments of knowledge. There is department of teaching medical science, there is department of teaching engineering. Unfortunately, there is no department for distributing knowledge in the science of the soul. But that is the most important thing, because the soul is the mainstay, is the background of all our movements. — [[spoken/1968/680508le.cam|Lecture to M.I.T. Students, Cambridge, 1968]] --- ### No Remedy > Modern technology, they have advanced undoubtedly, but there is no remedy to stop birth, death, old age and disease. This is real problem. But because these problems cannot be solved by the modern scientific advancement of knowledge, they have practically set aside or neglected because they cannot solve it. But there is a solution. — [[spoken/1968/680508le.cam|Lecture to M.I.T. Students, Cambridge, 1968]] --- ### Do You Know Swimming? > There was storm and the boatman asked, "My dear sir, do you know swimming?" "Oh," he said, "no." Then he said, "Then your cent per cent knowledge is spoiled. Now you have to go down to the river. Your life is finished." The idea is that we are making progress, certainly, in technology, in economics, in so many other departments. But *Bhagavad-gītā* says that real problem of our life is birth, death, old age and disease. — [[spoken/1968/680508le.cam|Lecture to M.I.T. Students, Cambridge, 1968]] --- ### Created Problems > Eating is no problem. The animals, they do not endeavor for doing some work for eating. Eating is already there. Similarly, human body, eating is there. So why should we think for eating? Actually that is the fact. There is no problem of eating. They have created this problem. Our so-called civilization means we have created so many problems. — [[spoken/1972/720510le.hon|Lecture, Honolulu, 1972]] --- ### Imperfection of Sense > The scientists say that "We do not know." That means imperfectness of sense. I am trying to see, but the cloud is checking me, and I am considering beyond this cloud there is nothing. That is imperfectness of my seeing. Not that it is a fact that beyond the cloud there is nothing. — [[spoken/1972/720929mw.la|Morning Walk, Los Angeles, 1972]] --- ### Starting Point Is Wrong > Even if you cannot know perfectly the affairs of this material world, what to speak of God and spiritual knowledge? That is beyond, *avāṅ-manasa-gocara,* beyond your conception. Therefore *śāstra* says that we cannot understand Kṛṣṇa by our mental speculation. So the modern so-called scientists, philosophers, their starting point is wrong. — [[spoken/1972/720929mw.la|Morning Walk, Los Angeles, 1972]] --- ### It May Be, Perhaps > That is not perfect knowledge. As soon as you say "it may be," that means you have no perfect knowledge. As soon as you say "perhaps," that means you have no perfect knowledge. So all these scientists and philosophers, they use these words: "it may be," "perhaps." Therefore we have to receive knowledge from a perfect person. — [[spoken/1973/730318le.cal|Lecture, Calcutta, 1973]] --- ### Spell of Illusion > The material energy is so illusory that however a living entity may be in abominable condition, he thinks that he is happy. Just like the hog—that life is most filthy life. They are living in filthy place—they are eating stool, and most abominable life. But even you ask a hog, "You are living in such abominable condition. Let me do you something good," he'll refuse to accept. This is the spell of *māyā.* — [[spoken/1968/680508le.cam|Lecture to M.I.T. Students, Cambridge, 1968]] --- ### The Machine Requires a Pilot > There are so many instances. A very nice, big machine, aeroplane, 747, but if there is no pilot, who'll drive it? The machine is worthless unless there is the pilot. Similarly, this is also machine, this body. *Yantrārūḍhāni māyayā.* — [[spoken/1973/730113bg.bom|Bhagavad-gītā 3.27, Bombay, 1973]] --- ### Driving the Car > Just like you have got a motorcar, nice motorcar. If you want to drive it as a superior master, or driver, then the car will give you good service. But if you do not know how to drive, then the car will play disaster; your life will be risky. If you simply sit down in a good car without knowing the art of driving, then it will play disaster. — [[spoken/1966/660325bg.ny|Bhagavad-gītā 2.66, New York, 1966]] --- *10 quotes from Śrīla Prabhupāda on modern society and technology* [[wiki/quotes|Back to Quotes]]