--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Conformity may give you a quiet life; it…" description: "\"Conformity may give you a quiet life; it may even bring you to a University Chair. But all change in history, all advance, comes from the nonconformist..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f4/a-j-p-taylor-14528_caves_conformity-may-give-you-a-quiet-life-it_1219827.jpg" --- # Conformity may give you a quiet life; it may even bring… ![“Conformity may give you a quiet life; it may even bring you to a University Chair. But all change in history, all advance, comes from the nonconformists. If there had been no trouble-makers, no Dissenters, we should still be living in caves.” quote by A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f4/a-j-p-taylor-14528_caves_conformity-may-give-you-a-quiet-life-it_1219827.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f4/a-j-p-taylor-14528_caves_conformity-may-give-you-a-quiet-life-it_1219827.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f4/a-j-p-taylor-14528_caves_conformity-may-give-you-a-quiet-life-it_1219827.jpg) > “Conformity may give you a quiet life; it may even bring you to a University Chair. But all change in history, all advance, comes from the nonconformists. If there had been no trouble-makers, no Dissenters, we should still be living in caves.” [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Conformity yields comfort, but progress stems from those who challenge norms. **In simple terms:** Change comes from rebels, not conformists. Key Takeaway Embrace dissent to drive innovation. Themes conformity progress rebellion innovation history Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - academic careers - political activism - entrepreneurship - artistic movements Key Concepts social dynamics creative disruption risk taking Questions to Reflect On - What risks do you avoid by conforming? - How can you support nonconformists? A Different Perspective Conformity can provide stability that some value. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Caves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caves/) [Conformity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conformity/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Quiet life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quiet-life/) [Trouble maker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trouble-maker/) [University](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/university/) ## Related quotes > [The market-driven spectacle of war demands a culture of conformity, quiet intellectuals and a largely passive republic of consumers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/the-market-driven-spectacle-of-war-demands-a-culture-of-conformity/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [If you read the life of great men and women who made important changes in history, there are two common features: One, they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leymah-gbowee/if-you-read-the-life-of-great-men-and-women-who-made-important/) [Leymah Gbowee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leymah-gbowee/) > [The greatest changes in history have come when people were able to shake off what others told them to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/the-greatest-changes-in-history-have-come-when-people-were-able-to/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [No real change in history has ever been achieved by discussions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-real-change-in-history-has-ever-been-achieved-by-discussions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Is it really so terrible being around us?" I blushed. "No," I said. "But . . . it's complicated. I've been taught certain things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/is-it-really-so-terrible-being-around-us-i-blushed-no-i-said-but-it-s/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [You keep plugging away--that's the way social change takes place. That's the way every social change in history has taken place: by a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/you-keep-plugging-away-that-s-the-way-social-change-takes-place-that/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The introduction of the Christian religion into the world has produced an incalculable change in history. There had previously been only a history of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-henri-merle-d-aubigne/the-introduction-of-the-christian-religion-into-the-world-has/) Jean-Henri Merle d'Aubigne > [Optimists are usually wrong. But all the great change in history, positive change, was done by optimists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/optimists-are-usually-wrong-but-all-the-great-change-in-history/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [Regarding the children in Israel who made the first known world change in history using the Bible Code, they left a statement which they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drunvalo-melchizedek/regarding-the-children-in-israel-who-made-the-first-known-world/) [Drunvalo Melchizedek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drunvalo-melchizedek/) > [Originals are nonconformists, people who not only have new ideas but take action to champion them. They are people who stand out and speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-grant/originals-are-nonconformists-people-who-not-only-have-new-ideas-but/) [Adam Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-grant/) > [This hour in history needs a dedicated circle of transformed nonconformists. Our planet teeters on the brink of annihilation; dangerous passions of pride, hatred,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/this-hour-in-history-needs-a-dedicated-circle-of-transformed/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-hope-of-a-secure-and-livable-world-lies-with-disciplined/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Nonconformists travel as a rule in bunches. You rarely find a nonconformist who goes it alone. And woe to him inside a nonconformist clique…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/nonconformists-travel-as-a-rule-in-bunches-you-rarely-find-a/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [“As a youth, I was too sunny and filled with the milk of human kindness to be able to comprehend such a bitter moral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-wright-2/as-a-youth-i-was-too-sunny-and-filled-with-the-milk-of-human-kindness/) [John C Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-wright-2/) > [Talent, I believe, is most likely to be found among nonconformists, dissenters, and rebels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/talent-i-believe-is-most-likely-to-be-found-among-nonconformists/) [David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/) ## More by A. J. P. Taylor > [Like most of those who study history, he (Napoleon III) learned from the mistakes of the past how to make new ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/like-most-of-those-who-study-history-he-napoleon-iii-learned-from-the/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [Human blunders usually do more to shape history than human wickedness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/human-blunders-usually-do-more-to-shape-history-than-human-wickedness/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [If men are to respect each other for what they are, they must cease to respect each other for what they own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/if-men-are-to-respect-each-other-for-what-they-are-they-must-cease-to/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [We are apt to say that a foreign policy is successful only when the country, or at any rate the governing class, is united…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/we-are-apt-to-say-that-a-foreign-policy-is-successful-only-when-the/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [A racing tipster who only reached Hitler's level of accuracy would not do well for his clients.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/a-racing-tipster-who-only-reached-hitler-s-level-of-accuracy-would/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [ If there had been a strong democratic sentiment in Germany, Hitler would never have come to power . \[Germans\] deserved what they got when… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/if-there-had-been-a-strong-democratic-sentiment-in-germany-hitler/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [Freedom does not always win. This is one of the bitterest lessons of history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/freedom-does-not-always-win-this-is-one-of-the-bitterest-lessons-of/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [There is nothing more agreeable in life than to make peace with the establishment and nothing more corrupting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/there-is-nothing-more-agreeable-in-life-than-to-make-peace-with-the/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [George VI in the conventional parlance was a Good King who sacrificed his life to his sense of duty. If we are to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/george-vi-in-the-conventional-parlance-was-a-good-king-who-sacrificed/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [One of the penalties of being president of the United States is that you must subsist for four years without drinking anything except Californian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/one-of-the-penalties-of-being-president-of-the-united-states-is-that/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [Perfect soldier, perfect gentleman never gave offence to anyone not even the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/perfect-soldier-perfect-gentleman-never-gave-offence-to-anyone-not/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [No war is inevitable until it breaks out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/no-war-is-inevitable-until-it-breaks-out/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [We learn nothing from history except the infinite variety of men's behaviour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/we-learn-nothing-from-history-except-the-infinite-variety-of-men-s/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [In my opinion, most of the great men of the past were only there for the beer - the wealth, prestige and grandeur that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/in-my-opinion-most-of-the-great-men-of-the-past-were-only-there-for/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [The male clerk with his quill pen and copper-plate handwriting had gone for good. The female short-hand typist took his place. It was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/the-male-clerk-with-his-quill-pen-and-copper-plate-handwriting-had/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) [Explore all 46 A. J. P. Taylor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) ## More Caves quotes > [When man of slender visits you / Nothing on earth that one can do / In well he’ll hide, or watery hole / And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-goldstein/when-man-of-slender-visits-you-nothing-on-earth-that-one-can-do-in/) [Jack Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-goldstein/) > [There is nothing to do, just be. Do nothing. Be. No climbing mountains and sitting in caves. I do not even say "be yourself"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/there-is-nothing-to-do-just-be-do-nothing-be-no-climbing-mountains/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [A man in a cave or in a camp, a nomad, will die with no more estate than the wolf or the horse leaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-in-a-cave-or-in-a-camp-a-nomad-will-die-with-no-more-estate/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [(At the back of the cave, Phoebe placed her hand against one of the stones where a spring release opened an elevator door. Chris…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/at-the-back-of-the-cave-phoebe-placed-her-hand-against-one-of-the/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [There were doors that looked like large keyholes, others that resembled the entrances to caves, there were golden doors, some were padded and some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ende/there-were-doors-that-looked-like-large-keyholes-others-that/) [Michael Ende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ende/) > [Many of us didn't believe in the image of bin Laden as a wandering Old Man of the Mountains, living on plants and insects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/many-of-us-didn-t-believe-in-the-image-of-bin-laden-as-a-wandering/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [You know,” he said, “I wish you could see this cave.” “What’s it like?” He paused. “It’s...beautiful, really.” “Tell me.” And so Po described…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/you-know-he-said-i-wish-you-could-see-this-cave-what-s-it-like-he/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [Do you know, I always imagine that the subway trains are dragons,' Rose said to Bear as they clung to his coat for support…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-doman/do-you-know-i-always-imagine-that-the-subway-trains-are-dragons-rose/) [Regina Doman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-doman/) > [Imagine an American Hans Christian Andersen, conceive of the Brothers Grimm living in Missouri, and you will approximate Howard Schwartz, a fable-maker and fable-gatherer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-ozick/imagine-an-american-hans-christian-andersen-conceive-of-the-brothers/) [Cynthia Ozick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-ozick/) > [There is no civilization that did not begin with art, Whether it was drawing a line in the sand, painting a cave or dancing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-is-no-civilization-that-did-not-begin-with-art-whether-it-was/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Some are nice and some aren't. Some are smart, and others are about as bright as a wet match in a dark cave. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/some-are-nice-and-some-aren-t-some-are-smart-and-others-are-about-as/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [Endure, put up with whatever comes your way, learn to overcome weakness and pain, push yourself to breaking point but never cave in. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-nadal/endure-put-up-with-whatever-comes-your-way-learn-to-overcome-weakness/) [Toni Nadal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-nadal/) > [I'm Andrea Thompson, and unless you've been living in a cave, you probably already know that](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-thompson/i-m-andrea-thompson-and-unless-you-ve-been-living-in-a-cave-you/) [Andrea Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-thompson/) > [There are lifetimes where one goes off into the Himalayas and meditate in a cave. But this is not really one of those lifetimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/there-are-lifetimes-where-one-goes-off-into-the-himalayas-and/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [As her sons have seen her: the mother in patriarchy: controlling, erotic, castrating, heart-suffering, guilt-ridden, and guilt-provoking; a marble brow, a huge breast, an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/as-her-sons-have-seen-her-the-mother-in-patriarchy-controlling-erotic/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) [Browse all 558 Caves quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caves/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Conformity may give you a quiet life; it may even bring you to a University Chair. But all change in history, all advance, comes from the nonconformists. 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