We do not ride on the railroad; it rides upon us.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- We are not the ones controlling the railroad; it controls us.
- In plain terms
- The railroad (technology) dominates us rather than we controlling it.
- What can you take from it?
- Be aware of how technology shapes our lives.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How can we retain control over technology?
- What are the signs of being controlled?
Another view
Metaphor may overstate lack of human agency.
More from Henry David Thoreau
The progress from an absolute to a limited monarchy, from a limited monarchy to a democracy, is a progress toward a true respect for the individual.
Permalink to quote #67 Is a democracy, such as we know it, the last improvement possible in government? Is it not possible to take a step further towards recognizing and organizing t…
Permalink to quote #69 A very few, as heroes, patriots, martyrs, reformers in the great sense, and men, serve the State with their consciences also, and so necessarily resist it for …
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