[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$fblgXCCHixzZFKvPjfP7qvpsCdQ8G8kdq9zdUiC-4ucs":3,"$fPhlcEyyf8A2nir30ixpL-z_uza_GS7GMtry7ImXhgmI":12},{"author":4,"tags":11},{"author_id":5,"author_name":6,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"bio":9,"short_bio":9,"slug":10,"image_url":9},64626,"Vaclav Smil","V",64,null,"vaclav-smil",[],{"quotes":13,"pagination":77},[14,22,28,34,40,46,52,59,65,71],{"id":15,"quote_text":16,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":19,"source":20,"quote_tag":21,"commentary":9},3986491,"We're a society that demands electricity 24/7. This is very difficult with sun and wind.",7,false,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":23,"quote_text":24,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":25,"source":26,"quote_tag":27,"commentary":9},3986488,"Economic and technical imperatives - not any preconceived directives - will keep propelling the process of energy transition.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":29,"quote_text":30,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":31,"source":32,"quote_tag":33,"commentary":9},3986486,"I really don't think I have anything special to say.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":35,"quote_text":36,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":37,"source":38,"quote_tag":39,"commentary":9},3986483,"All I want is to be left alone to write my books.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":41,"quote_text":42,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":43,"source":44,"quote_tag":45,"commentary":9},3986481,"I appreciate and love blue-green algae.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":47,"quote_text":48,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":49,"source":50,"quote_tag":51,"commentary":9},3986477,"I'm old fashioned. I'm not one of these young guys who think they are so smart that they can prescribe what humanity ought to do. Humanity never learns any lessons. Prescriptions don't matter. We already know exactly what to do. We just don't do it.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":53,"quote_text":54,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":55,"source":56,"quote_tag":57,"commentary":58},3986472,"I wouldn't put a big trust in what people in Silicon Valley say. They may be good at manipulating ones and zeroes and writing software, but beyond that, their contribution to human progress has been pretty dismal. I'm not impressed.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\nVaclav Smil, a renowned Canadian author and professor, likely expressed this sentiment in one of his books or interviews around the turn of the 21st century. As a historian of technology and innovation, Smil has consistently challenged the conventional wisdom surrounding Silicon Valley and its impact on human progress. At that time, the tech industry was rapidly expanding, and its influence on society was becoming increasingly prominent.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nOn the surface, Smil's statement appears to be a criticism of Silicon Valley's lack of social responsibility. However, upon closer examination, it reveals a deeper insight into the limitations of technological progress. Smil is highlighting the tension between the narrow focus of technological innovation and the broader needs of human progress, which encompasses not only technological advancements but also social, cultural, and environmental considerations.\n\n**How to Use This**\nTo apply Smil's mindset, consider the \"beyond\" factor when evaluating the impact of your work or industry. Ask yourself: What are the unaddressed social, cultural, or environmental consequences of my innovations? How can I, like Smil, critically examine the limitations of my field and strive for a more holistic understanding of human progress? By doing so, you can avoid the pitfalls of narrow specialization and cultivate a more nuanced, long-term perspective.",{"id":60,"quote_text":61,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":62,"source":63,"quote_tag":64,"commentary":9},3986469,"Most innovation is not done by research institutes and national laboratories. It comes from manufacturing - from companies that want to extend their product reach, improve their costs, increase their returns. What's very important is in-house research.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":66,"quote_text":67,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":68,"source":69,"quote_tag":70,"commentary":9},3986463,"Meat is undoubtedly an environmentally expensive food.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":72,"quote_text":73,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":74,"source":75,"quote_tag":76,"commentary":9},3986461,"Meat is undoubtedly an environmentally expensive food. Large animals have inherently low efficiency of converting feed to muscle, and only modern broilers can be produced with less than two units of feed per unit of meat.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"currentPage":78,"totalPages":17,"totalItems":8,"itemsPerPage":79},1,10]