
“First we build the tools, then they build us.”
Disturbing the Universe (1979), Pt. 1, Ch. 1
“First we build the tools, then they build us.”
As quoted in Reflection for November 5 in Saint Companions for Each Day (1986) by A. J. M. Mousolfe & J. K. Mousolfe, p. 417
“Twitter is the people’s tool, the tool of the ordinary people, people who have no other resources.”
Ventura, Catherine. “ Is Twitter a Human Right? One Chinese Activist Thinks So http://www.huffingtonpost.com/catherine-ventura/is-twitter-a-human-right_b_501971.html.” Huffington Post, March 17, 2012.
2010-, 2012
In an interview with Kara Swisher as quoted in Zuckerberg: The Recode interview https://www.recode.net/2018/7/18/17575156/mark-zuckerberg-interview-facebook-recode-kara-swisher (July 18, 2018), Recode.
Source: Space Chantey (1968), Ch. 8, Hondstarfer of Valhal, speaking of his work as a design engineer.
Context: "I'm doing pretty good. I'm a seminal genius, they say, and I have the most sophisticated tools ever devised to work with. And I do build some good things for them. I'm quite successful. I'll tell you something, though. In the daytime, with all those sophisticated tools, and particularly if someone's watching me, I just stall around. But at night — "
"Ah, at night! What do you do then, Hondstarfer?"
"Put away those damned sophisticated tools and get my stone hammers. That's when I build the good stuff. Don't give me away, though, Roadstrum.
Source: Tools For Survival (2009), P.149
Oscar Iden Lecture Series, Lecture 3: "The State of Individuals" (1976)
Source: Tools For Survival (2009), p. 150