"Hunger and sex still dominate the primitive mammalian side of human existence, but at the present time it looks as if humanity were within sight of their satisfaction. Permanent plenty, no longer a Utopian dream, awaits the arrival of permanent peace"
- John Desmond Bernal
About this Quote
John Desmond Bernal's quote delves into the long-lasting impacts of primal impulses-- cravings and sex-- on human behavior and how modern society techniques their fulfillment. At its core, the quote recognizes that these essential drives, deeply embedded in our mammalian lineage, continue to shape our presence. However, Bernal recommends a transformative shift in human society's potential to fully please these basic needs.
Hunger represents the requirement for sustenance and survival, a force that has obliged human development and social company throughout history. Sex, on the other hand, embodies the drive for recreation and continuity of the types. Bernal implies that while these impulses govern much of human life, civilization has reached a phase where it conceives the possibility of sufficiently addressing them.
In specifying that "long-term plenty, no longer a Utopian dream," Bernal alludes to improvements in technology, farming, and financial systems that have developed conditions for abundance. The implication is that mankind, through its resourcefulness and collective effort, is nearing the capability to eliminate appetite-- a landmark accomplishment that as soon as seemed unattainable. Similarly, the idea of pleasing sexual needs properly and healthily suggests development in social structures and specific liberties.
The conditional expression "waits for the arrival of long-term peace" introduces a critical caveat. Bernal highlights that the awareness of these achievements depends greatly on attaining international peace. Disputes interrupt not only food distribution and security however also strain social and personal relationships, therefore impeding the satisfaction of these fundamental needs.
In essence, Bernal's reflection is positive yet cautionary. It visualizes a future where basic human drives are satisfied regularly, contingent on a cumulative dedication to peace. His vision supporters for dealing with both internal and external disputes, underscoring the interconnectedness of human development and the enduring challenge of peacebuilding.