“As it is, the hardly bought achievements of the machine age in the hands of our generation are as dangerous as a razor in the hands of a three-year-old child.”
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Source: Statement for the 1932 Disarmament Conference
About this quote
Technology amplifies human power faster than it improves human judgment. The child-and-razor image makes the danger concrete: sophisticated tools can produce catastrophic results when institutions lack restraint.
When to use it
- A company pauses deployment of a powerful model until abuse controls and accountability are in place.
- A government pairs a new weapons capability with verification, oversight, and diplomatic safeguards.
- A laboratory limits access to a hazardous technique until trainees can demonstrate responsible handling.