There is no absolute knowledge. And those who claim it, whether they are scientists or dogmatists, open the door to tragedy.
Jacob BronowskiRead
Has there ever been a society which has died of dissent? Several have died of conformity in our lifetime.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that dissent is vital for a society's vitality, whereas conformity can lead to its decline.
Jacob Bronowski's quote emphasizes the importance of dissent in a healthy society. He argues that societies have historically failed not due to questioning or disagreement, but rather due to blind conformity, which stifles creativity and progress. This perspective invites reflection on the role of individual thinking and diverse opinions in fostering a vibrant and evolving community.
Themes
SocietyDissentConformityCreativityProgress
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about creativity in the workplace, one might say, 'Has there ever been a society which has died of dissent? Let's embrace diverse ideas.'
More from Jacob Bronowski
All quotes βTo me the most interesting thing about man is that he is an animal who practices art and science and in every known society practices both together.
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A man becomes creative, whether he is an artist or scientist, when he finds a new unity in the variety of nature. He does so by finding a likeness between things which were not thought alike before.
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The values by which we are to survive are not rules for just and unjust conduct, but are those deeper illuminations in whose light justice and injustice, good and evil, means and ends are seen in fearful sharpness of outline.
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The basis for poetry and scientific discovery is the ability to comprehend the unlike in the like and the like in the unlike.
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The world today is made, it is powered by science; and for any man to abdicate an interest in science is to walk with open eyes towards slavery.
Jacob BronowskiRead
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