We can't shape what we don't understand, and what we don't understand and use ends up shaping us.

Source: “Play with Smart Materials.” TEDGlobal 2012. Jul. 2012. Conference Presentation. Additional Information: This quote by TEDGlobal Fellow Catarina Mota is from Mota's 2012 TED Talk on smart materials -- "intelligent" technologies, such as ink that conducts electricity and paint that changes colors -- and why everyday people should experiment with them. In this quote, Mota answers the question "Why should we care what smart materials are and what they're made of?" Mota goes on to further explain that the objects we use, the clothes we wear, and the houses we live in all have a profound impact on our lives, so it only makes sense that we should be informed about them. Additionally, says Mota, innovation is fueled by "tinkerers," who are often amateurs rather than experts, and thus, by playing with smart technology, we can impact its development. Watch the full TED Talk here: Catarina Mota - Play with Smart Materials  

“Play with Smart Materials.” TEDGlobal 2012. Jul. 2012. Conference Presentation.