“The truth is nobody needs a diamond. You don't need a diamond to heat your home, run your car or power your cell-phone. As a business, it's clear to us that there is only one source of value for diamonds- and that is the consumer's desire for the product.”
— David Prager

The quote archive

Future

A growing archive of 3,000+ moments, drawn from every interview.

Just think about what happens when the next billion people come online, and the next two billion after that. It's a remarkable thing to consider.

— Jimmy Wales

Co-Founder of Wikipedia & Online Encyclopedia Pioneer

We're heading to a world where all our energy is derived from the sun and from renewables, a world where we will have a squanderable abundance of energy. There's 6,000 times more energy hitting the surface of the Earth than we consume as a species.

— Peter Diamandis

Founder of X Prize Foundation & Singularity University

Today? we're at the precipice of taking a fundamental vacation from survival where instead of worrying about tomorrow, we can decide how to spend our time. When food, energy, healthcare and education are literally free to everyone, everywhere, what will humanity do with time? What an extraordinary opportunity?

— Peter Diamandis

Founder of X Prize Foundation & Singularity University

I think the biggest technological innovation that will impact Wikia – and the Internet more broadly – is the continuing progress we are seeing in reducing the costs of communication technology, such that it will reach the entire planet in relatively short order. Just think about what happens when the next billion people come online, and the next two billion after that.

— Jimmy Wales

Co-Founder of Wikipedia & Online Encyclopedia Pioneer

We are now living with a great deal of uncertainty, which will increase. As a society, though, we have to be prepared for threats we cannot conceive, we must build resilience not just in developed countries, but particularly in conflict areas.

— Kristiina Rintakoski

Unknown.

Over half the sub-Saharan African population is under 18 years old, versus Latin America, where over half the population is under 25 years old and Asia, where it is under 35 years old. These EM populations are young, expansive and dynamic.

— Susan Payne

Unknown.

If stem cells prove safe for use in the brain, you might use them to repair brain damage, but you might use them to increase or enhance brain function.

— John Harris

There is a big black box of as-yet unimagined risk. Most of what now seem like the biggest risks to society were unknown one hundred years ago.

— Nick Bostrom

Philosopher & Director of Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford

At some point, if this kind of technological progress continues, it would seem that our descendants will become entirely digital: uploads or artificial intellects implemented on computers.

— Nick Bostrom

Philosopher & Director of Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford

Among future technologies that may pose significant existential risks I would rank machine super intelligence at or near the top.

— Nick Bostrom

Philosopher & Director of Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford

In my view, all the big existential risks are anthropogenic, arising out of human activity. More specifically, the biggest existential risks in this century arise out of anticipated future technological advances.

— Nick Bostrom

Philosopher & Director of Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford

For commercial markets, a shift to collaborative economies is not far behind, and businesses must change their thinking about the nature competition, defending value, and other strategies if they wish to grow in an uncertain future.

— Unknown

Once social change begins, it cannot be reversed. You cannot un-educate the person who has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore. We have seen the future, and the future is ours.

— Cesar Chavez

Labor Rights Activist & Farm Workers Union Organizer

What we have seen here is a pseudo-nuclear war. An unwind of misused financial instruments created a huge economic shock- which will fundamentally change the next quarter century of our economic story.

— Unknown

I think you'll see strong growth in the markets in developing economies like Brazil, India, China, Mexico, Malaysia, Singapore and places like that. In that sense, it will be a larger market- a growing pie- risk in that sense will be distributed more.

— Craig Donohue

Former CEO of CME Group, global derivatives exchange leader.

These markets will become a crucible for innovation and dynamic change. This will give more growth to derivative markets as we move forward.

— Craig Donohue

Former CEO of CME Group, global derivatives exchange leader.