--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are accustomed to take progress for…" description: "\"“We are accustomed to take progress for granted: to assume without hesitation that the changes which have happened during the last hundred years were u..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96a/bertrand-russell-69_change_we-are-accustomed-to-take-progress-for-g_556358.jpg" --- # We are accustomed to take progress for granted: to assume… ![“We are accustomed to take progress for granted: to assume without hesitation that the changes which have happened during the last hundred years were unquestionably for the better, and that further changes for the better are sure to follow indefinitely.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96a/bertrand-russell-69_change_we-are-accustomed-to-take-progress-for-g_556358.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96a/bertrand-russell-69_change_we-are-accustomed-to-take-progress-for-g_556358.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96a/bertrand-russell-69_change_we-are-accustomed-to-take-progress-for-g_556358.jpg) > ““We are accustomed to take progress for granted: to assume without hesitation that the changes which have happened during the last hundred years were unquestionably for the better, and that further changes for the better are sure to follow indefinitely.”” [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often assume that technological and social progress automatically improves life, overlooking potential downsides and uncertainties. **In simple terms:** Progress isn’t always better. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about improvement. Themes progress assumption skepticism Mood critical inquisitive Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - policy making - technology adoption - social change Key Concepts critical thinking history of ideas Questions to Reflect On - What evidence supports true betterment? - How can we ensure progress benefits all? A Different Perspective Progress can bring new problems and inequities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accustomed Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accustomed-progress-4621492/) [Better Changes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-changes-1350669/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Changes Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changes-better-860807/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [Progress Granted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress-granted-4621493/) ## Related quotes > [Things do not grow better; they remain as they are. It is we who grow better, by the changes we make in ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/things-do-not-grow-better-they-remain-as-they-are-it-is-we-who-grow/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I thank God for removing all the negative people out of my life and allowing me to make better changes for myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-thank-god-for-removing-all-the-negative-people-out-of-my-life-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Changing someone else's life positively changes yours for the better as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-boyce/changing-someone-else-s-life-positively-changes-yours-for-the-better/) [Cameron Boyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-boyce/) > [You don't need to become a better person first before you make changes in your life.You make changes so you can become a better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/you-don-t-need-to-become-a-better-person-first-before-you-make/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [For every positive change you make in your life, something else also changes for the better - it creates a chain reaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-brown/for-every-positive-change-you-make-in-your-life-something-else-also/) [Leon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-brown/) > [Making changes to better appeal to customer is INNOVATION.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/making-changes-to-better-appeal-to-customer-is-innovation/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [Life changes for the better when we realize that we don't have to know everything and we don't have to pretend we do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/life-changes-for-the-better-when-we-realize-that-we-don-t-have-to/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [Making changes to better me and who I want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/making-changes-to-better-me-and-who-i-want-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Once they knew that some changes were for the better, and others for the worse, and others again indifferent. We have largely removed this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/once-they-knew-that-some-changes-were-for-the-better-and-others-for/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [I'll continue to try to make changes to better improve the team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ll-continue-to-try-to-make-changes-to-better-improve-the-team/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Failure changes for the better, success for the worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-elder/failure-changes-for-the-better-success-for-the-worse/) [Seneca the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-elder/) > [I wish I could say time changes everyone for the better, but it doesn't. Sometimes, people show their true colors when you're in too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley/i-wish-i-could-say-time-changes-everyone-for-the-better-but-it-doesn/) [Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley/) > [Everything changes for the better when you take ownership of your own problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-ringer/everything-changes-for-the-better-when-you-take-ownership-of-your-own/) [Robert Ringer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-ringer/) > [This country is undergoing great changes for the better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-john-wills/this-country-is-undergoing-great-changes-for-the-better/) [William John Wills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-john-wills/) > [“Prayer changes me, and it changes me for the better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guideposts/prayer-changes-me-and-it-changes-me-for-the-better/) [Guideposts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guideposts/) ## More by Bertrand Russell > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [That the world is in a bad shape is undeniable, but there is not the faintest reason in history to suppose that Christianity offers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/that-the-world-is-in-a-bad-shape-is-undeniable-but-there-is-not-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [All movements go too far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/all-movements-go-too-far/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Those who advocate common usage in philosophy sometimes speak in a manner that suggests the mystique of the 'common man.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/those-who-advocate-common-usage-in-philosophy-sometimes-speak-in-a/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Such, in outline, but even more purposeless, more void of meaning, is the world which Science presents for our belief. Amid such a world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/such-in-outline-but-even-more-purposeless-more-void-of-meaning-is-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Dr. Arnold . . . the admired reformer of public schools, came across some cranks who thought it a mistake to flog boys. Anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/dr-arnold-the-admired-reformer-of-public-schools-came-across-some/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Of all evils of war the greatest is the purely spiritual evil: the hatred, the injustice, the repudiation of truth, the artificial conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/of-all-evils-of-war-the-greatest-is-the-purely-spiritual-evil-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Aristotle maintained that women have fewer teeth than men; although he was twice married, it never occurred to him to verify this statement by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/aristotle-maintained-that-women-have-fewer-teeth-than-men-although-he/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-an-opinion-contrary-to-your-own-makes-you-angry-that-is-a-sign/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I cannot escape from the conclusion that the great ages of progress have depended upon a small number of individuals of transcendent ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-cannot-escape-from-the-conclusion-that-the-great-ages-of-progress/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I think it would be just to say the most essential characteristic of mind is memory, using this word in its broadest sense to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-think-it-would-be-just-to-say-the-most-essential-characteristic-of/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [The newspapers at one time said that I was dead but after carefully examining the evidence I came to the conclusion that this statement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-newspapers-at-one-time-said-that-i-was-dead-but-after-carefully/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Persecution is used in theology, not in arithmetic, because in arithmetic there is knowledge, but in theology there is only opinion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/persecution-is-used-in-theology-not-in-arithmetic-because-in/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Many orthodox people speak as though it were the business of sceptics to disprove received dogmas rather than of dogmatists to prove them. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/many-orthodox-people-speak-as-though-it-were-the-business-of-sceptics/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [There is no greater reason for children to honour parents than for parents to honour children except, that while the children are young, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/there-is-no-greater-reason-for-children-to-honour-parents-than-for/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Explore all 1,620 Bertrand Russell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We are accustomed to take progress for granted: to assume without hesitation that the changes which have happened during the last hundred years were unquestionably for the better, and that further changes for the better are sure to follow indefinitely.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bertrand Russell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/we-are-accustomed-to-take-progress-for-granted-to-assume-without/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/we-are-accustomed-to-take-progress-for-granted-to-assume-without/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96a/bertrand-russell-69_change_we-are-accustomed-to-take-progress-for-g_556358.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96a/bertrand-russell-69_change_we-are-accustomed-to-take-progress-for-g_556358.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96a/bertrand-russell-69_change_we-are-accustomed-to-take-progress-for-g_556358.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We are accustomed to take progress for granted: to assume without hesitation that the changes which have…” — Bertrand Russell", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bertrand Russell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We are accustomed to take progress...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/we-are-accustomed-to-take-progress-for-granted-to-assume-without/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/we-are-accustomed-to-take-progress-for-granted-to-assume-without/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```