George Bernard Shaw Progress Quotations

The first condition of progress is the removal of censorship.

The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.

All progress is initiated by challenging current conceptions, and executed by supplanting existing institutions.

All censorships exist to prevent anyone from challenging current conceptions and existing institutions.

All progress means war with society.

[Man] progresses in all things by making a fool of himself.

Social progress takes effect through the replacement of all institutions by new ones; and since every institution involves the recognition of the duty of conforming to it, progress must involve the repudiation of an established duty at every step.

Grain by grain, a loaf. Stone upon stone, a palace.

Seemingly unreasonable people attempt to adapt the world to themselves. Much progress, therefore, depends on such people.

The reasonable man will adjust to the demands of his environment. The unreasonable man expects his environment to adjust to his own needs. Therefore, all progress depends upon the unreasonable man.

The plain working truth is that it is not only good for people to be shocked occasionally, but absolutely necessary to the progress of society that they should be shocked pretty often.

A man learns to skate by staggering about and making a fool of himself. Indeed he progresses in all things by resolutely making a fool of himself.

In an article on Bunyan lately published in the "Contemporary Review" - the only article on the subject worth reading on the subject I ever saw (yes, thank you, I am familiar with Macaulay's patronizing prattle about "The Pilgrim's Progress") etc.

All progress depends upon the unreasonable person.

Remember that the progress of the world depends on your knowing better than your elders.

All progress is due to the unreasonable person.

Every step of progress means a duty repudiated, and a scripture torn up.

All censorships exist to prevent any one from challenging current conceptions and existing institutions. All progress is initiated by challenging current conceptions, and executed by supplanting existing institutions. Consequently the first condition of progress is the removal of censorships.