No convention gets to be a convention at all except by…
“No convention gets to be a convention at all except by grace of a lot of clever and powerful people first inventing it, and then imposing it on others. You can be pretty sure, if you are strictly conventional, that you are following genius--a long way off. And unless you are a genius yourself, that is a good thing to do.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Conventions arise from clever people inventing and imposing them; following them isn’t genius unless you’re original.
In simple terms: Rules are invented and imposed; following them isn’t genius.
Key Takeaway
Question and innovate beyond established norms.
Themes
social norms
innovation
conformity
genius
Mood
critical
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
social
When to use this quote
- policy making
- educational curricula
- corporate culture
- community standards
Key Concepts
sociology
philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we accept certain conventions?
- How can we responsibly challenge them?
A Different Perspective
Resistance to change can be risky.