Skip to content
quotesby

Eugenics aims to arouse the enthusiasm or the interest of the people in the welfare of the world fifteen or twenty generations in the future. On its negative side it shows us that we are paying for and even submitting to the dictates of an ever increasing, unceasingly spawning class of human beings who never should have been born at all-that the wealth of individuals and of states is being diverted from the development and the progress of human expression and civilization.

Margaret Sanger#9

EthicsEugenicsScienceCultureFuture

About this quote

What does it mean?
Sanger describes eugenics as a long‑term vision for future welfare, but also warns it diverts resources from human expression and civilization.
In plain terms
Eugenics claims to benefit future generations but can waste resources and hinder culture.
What can you take from it?
Evaluate long‑term scientific agendas for their true societal impact.

Where it applies

  • scientific funding debates
  • policy planning

Putting it to work

  • assessing ethical implications of research
  • balancing innovation with cultural values

Questions to consider

  • What metrics should gauge a project's benefit to humanity?
  • How can we prevent misuse of scientific agendas?

Another view

The claim mixes idealism with fear, lacking concrete evidence.

More from Margaret Sanger

  1. In passing, we should here recognize the difficulties presented by the idea of 'fit' and 'unfit.' Who is to decide this question? The grosser, the more obvious…

    Permalink to quote #8
  2. Our 'overhead' expense in segregating the delinquent, the defective and the dependent, in prisons, asylums and permanent homes, our failure to segregate morons…

    Permalink to quote #10
  3. [Charity] conceals a stupid cruelty, because it is not courageous enough to face unpleasant facts. Aside from the question of the unfitness of many women to be…

    Permalink to quote #7

Related quotes

  1. Science cannot be stopped. Man will gather knowledge no matter what the consequences - and we cannot predict what they will be. Science will go on - whether we…

    Linus PaulingLinus Pauling quote #1
  2. 'If we don't play god, who will?'

    James D. WatsonJames D. Watson quote #1
  3. 'No one may have the guts to say this, but if we could make better human beings by knowing how to add genes, why shouldn't we?'

    James D. WatsonJames D. Watson quote #2