Hmm, that's a good point. I can see how this might seem like a romantic/Marxist/anti-elite sentiment.

When I read it, I was thinking almost exclusively in terms of existential risk, the connection being that the end of the world (by, for instance, Unfriendly AI) won't be brought about by a cruel mad scientist, but more likely by normal people trying to make economic and scientific advances without concern for the potential consequences.

Sorry if the quote doesn't communicate that very clearly.