> Environmental historian J. R. McNeill stated that he "had more adverse impact on the atmosphere than any other single organism in Earth's history."
Only made possible by the millions going along with what that one individual did. This guy was like a hacker moving fast and breaking things, had no clue what he was doing. Nobody does when they build things for the first time.
That speaks more negatively to that tired SV motto than it speaks positively to the leaded gasoline guy.
Yes, it's not intended to be a positive sentiment, just an observation about the great organism that is all of humanity.
Maybe that quote should've referred to the first photosynthetic organism... (due mostly to reproduction than ability itself).
Dear god, reading that bio is a horror story. While you can blame Midgley somewhat he was definitely enabled by the oil companies.