Airplane Quote by Alfred H. Barr, Jr
“While majority opinion may not take kindly to forms of modern art, that same majority has also been hostile to most original and radical innovations, such as automobiles or airplanes or transatlantic cables or Protestantism or the theory that the earth is round and not flat.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Art Museum and Its Audience, 1947
Societal resistance often targets groundbreaking ideas, from art to technology, before they become accepted.
In simple terms: New ideas face early hostility.
Key Takeaway
Embrace and support innovation.
Themes
innovation
resistance
culture
progress
history
Mood
critical
reflective
skeptical
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- introducing new tech
- presenting avant‑garde art
- educating public
- policy advocacy
Key Concepts
social dynamics
paradigm shift
cognitive bias
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we identify truly transformative ideas?
- What role does majority opinion play in shaping progress?
A Different Perspective
Some innovations succeed despite opposition, but many are suppressed.
