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If I were required to guess off-hand, and without…

“If I were required to guess off-hand, and without collusion with higher minds, what is the bottom cause of the amazing material and intellectual advancement of the last fifty years, I should guess that it was the modern-born and previously non-existent disposition on the part of men to believe…” quote by Mark Twain
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“If I were required to guess off-hand, and without collusion with higher minds, what is the bottom cause of the amazing material and intellectual advancement of the last fifty years, I should guess that it was the modern-born and previously non-existent disposition on the part of men to believe that a new idea can have value.”

Mark Twain

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Modern society values new ideas, believing they can be valuable, driving rapid progress.

In simple terms: Belief in new ideas fuels advancement.

Key Takeaway

Encourage innovative thinking.

Themes

innovation progress belief

Mood

optimistic inquisitive

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • entrepreneurship
  • research funding
  • education
  • cultural shifts

Key Concepts

cognitive bias social dynamics

Questions to Reflect On

  • What makes an idea valuable?
  • How to balance tradition and novelty?
A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on novelty can neglect proven methods.

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