Kenneth Boulding

Economist Philosopher English-American 1910 – 1993

Pioneered systems thinking and general equilibrium theory in economics.

386 quotes

"War teaches us what we lose when we abandon dialogue."
War
"Motivation sustained over time requires alignment with purpose."
Motivation
"Inspiration is contagious—share it generously with others."
Inspiration
"Relationships deepen through the courage to be truly seen."
Relationships
"Family teaches us that we are part of something larger than ourselves."
Family
"Perseverance transforms obstacles into opportunities for growth."
Perseverance
"Courage is found in ordinary people doing extraordinary things."
Courage
"The only way out is through—there is no shortcut to wisdom."
Wisdom
"Change is not something that happens to us; it is something we do."
Change
"Nature is the greatest teacher of sustainability and balance."
Nature
"Humor helps us survive what we cannot change and accept what is."
Humor
"Death is life's greatest teacher about what truly matters."
Death
"Success is building a life that reflects your deepest values."
Success
"The image of the future haunts our present decisions."
"We are not really economic men; we are political, social, and spiritual beings who happen to do economics."
Philosophy
"The great secret of education is to learn which half of what you have been taught is wrong."
Education
"Complexity is the price we pay for specialization."
Knowledge
"There is something in the human spirit that rebels against finality."
Courage
"Information structures are as important to society as physical structures."
Technology
"Love is the only force that can overcome the second law of thermodynamics."
Love
"A society of unlimited inequality is unstable and ultimately self-defeating."
Justice
"The great art of human intercourse is learning how to listen."
Relationships
"Peace is not merely the absence of war; it is the presence of justice."
Peace
"We are what we know, and what we know is often distressingly limited."
Wisdom
"Technology is a gift of God. After the gift of life it is perhaps the greatest gift."
Technology
"The economy is a subsystem of the ecosystem, not the reverse."
Nature
"History is a race between education and catastrophe."
History
"The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of sixty minutes an hour."
Time
"Courage is not the absence of fear but rather an assessment that something else is more important than fear."
Courage
"Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of a cancer cell."
Change