"If this is not done, future ages will certainly look back upon us as a people so immersed in the pursuit of wealth as to be blind to higher considerations"

In this quote, Alfred Russel Wallace is warning versus the threats of being too focused on product wealth. He suggests that if we continue to focus on the pursuit of wealth above all else, future generations will see us as a society that was unable to see beyond our own greed. Wallace thinks that there are more crucial things to consider, such as morality, principles, and the well-being of others. He suggests that if we do not change our ways, we will be remembered as a people who were consumed by the desire for wealth and stopped working to see the larger image. This quote works as a cautionary reminder to not lose sight of what really matters in life.