Eisenhower's Farewell Address: Technology and Modernization Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Part.Sentence)

Quote #4

Another factor in maintaining balance involves the element of time. As we peer into society's future, we—you and I, and our government—must avoid the impulse to live only for today, plundering, for our own ease and convenience, the precious resources of tomorrow. We cannot mortgage the material assets of our grandchildren without risking the loss also of their political and spiritual heritage. We want democracy to survive for all generations to come, not to become the insolvent phantom of tomorrow. (V. 1-4)

The side-effect of "modernization" in the 20th-century model is the massive consumption of resources. He knew that living in the moment could bankrupt us and pass on massive debt to the next generations. Although, honestly, they're going to spend it all on macchiatos and $75 yoga pants, so who cares.