--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is a foolish man who believes that the…" description: "\"It is a foolish man who believes that the status quo can be maintained indefinitely.\" — Charley Reese" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/charley-reese-14592_believe_it-is-a-foolish-man-who-believes-that-th_762701.png" --- # It is a foolish man who believes that the status quo can… ![“It is a foolish man who believes that the status quo can be maintained indefinitely.” quote by Charley Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/charley-reese-14592_believe_it-is-a-foolish-man-who-believes-that-th_762701.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/charley-reese-14592_believe_it-is-a-foolish-man-who-believes-that-th_762701.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/charley-reese-14592_believe_it-is-a-foolish-man-who-believes-that-th_762701.png) > “It is a foolish man who believes that the status quo can be maintained indefinitely.” [Charley Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-reese/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A foolish person assumes the current system can persist forever without change. **In simple terms:** Believing the status quo is permanent is naive. Key Takeaway Challenge assumptions about permanence. Themes politics change foolishness Mood critical thoughtful Type political philosophical When to use this quote - policy analysis - strategic planning - risk assessment Key Concepts systems theory historical cycles Questions to Reflect On - What systems seem unchangeable? - How can we prepare for inevitable shifts? A Different Perspective Stability is often temporary. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Foolish man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foolish-man/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Status quo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/status-quo/) ## Related quotes > [“Foolish man, what do you bemoan, and what do you fear? Wherever you look there is an end of evils. You see that yawning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/foolish-man-what-do-you-bemoan-and-what-do-you-fear-wherever-you-look/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“...when "such things happened" it was undoubtedly foolish of the man, but somehow always criminal of the woman. All the elderly ladies whom Archer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/when-such-things-happened-it-was-undoubtedly-foolish-of-the-man-but/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [Oh these foolish men! They could not create so much as a worm, but they create gods by the dozens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/oh-these-foolish-men-they-could-not-create-so-much-as-a-worm-but-they/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [“Foolish is the man, and there are many such men, who would rid himself or his fellows of discomfort by setting the world right,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/foolish-is-the-man-and-there-are-many-such-men-who-would-rid-himself/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“You foolish man. Of course there's love. Don't you know? I love you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/you-foolish-man-of-course-there-s-love-don-t-you-know-i-love-you/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [A foolish man thinks he knows everything. A wise man knows he doesn't," Finn replied absently, still looking down at the book. "That's such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hocking/a-foolish-man-thinks-he-knows-everything-a-wise-man-knows-he-doesn-t/) [Amanda Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hocking/) > [I believe that that foolish man of Galilee, Jesus Christ, had something to tell us, to tell me. Not considering his existence here, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-chacour/i-believe-that-that-foolish-man-of-galilee-jesus-christ-had-something/) Elias Chacour > [A foolish man... built his house upon the sand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-mcconaughey/a-foolish-man-built-his-house-upon-the-sand/) [Matthew McConaughey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-mcconaughey/) > [A truly good man is unaware of his goodness and is there for good, A foolish man tries to be good and is there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tsu/a-truly-good-man-is-unaware-of-his-goodness-and-is-there-for-good-a/) [Lao Tsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tsu/) > [A clever child brought up with a foolish one can itself become foolish. Man is so perfectible and corruptible he can become a fool…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/a-clever-child-brought-up-with-a-foolish-one-can-itself-become/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [Passion often renders the most clever man a fool, and sometimes renders the most foolish man clever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/passion-often-renders-the-most-clever-man-a-fool-and-sometimes/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“Only a foolish man will wed her who comes easily to his bed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-klein/only-a-foolish-man-will-wed-her-who-comes-easily-to-his-bed/) [Lisa Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-klein/) > [A wise man who stands firm is a statesman, a foolish man who stands firm is a catastrophe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-wise-man-who-stands-firm-is-a-statesman-a-foolish-man-who-stands/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Only a foolish man wil keep on doing one ting and expect another result](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordons/only-a-foolish-man-wil-keep-on-doing-one-ting-and-expect-another/) Gordons > [My parents never had any money. It was cash flow. It flows, and you got your fingers in it for a little while, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-aykroyd/my-parents-never-had-any-money-it-was-cash-flow-it-flows-and-you-got/) [Dan Aykroyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-aykroyd/) ## More by Charley Reese > [People who believe in gun control are ignorant, superstitious or stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-reese/people-who-believe-in-gun-control-are-ignorant-superstitious-or-stupid/) [Charley Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-reese/) > [Experience to a politician is like experience to a prostitute - not much to recommend them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-reese/experience-to-a-politician-is-like-experience-to-a-prostitute-not/) [Charley Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-reese/) > [Unless they can pass the same test that immigrants must pass to become citizens, people shouldnt be allowed to vote. The idea that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-reese/unless-they-can-pass-the-same-test-that-immigrants-must-pass-to/) [Charley Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-reese/) > [Disregarding the value of religion and believing in egalitarianism are two misconceptions that cause America much trouble today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-reese/disregarding-the-value-of-religion-and-believing-in-egalitarianism/) [Charley Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-reese/) > [Crime is a human behavior problem, not a mechanical problem. Furthermore, if firearms were not very useful for self-defense, then police wouldn't carry them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-reese/crime-is-a-human-behavior-problem-not-a-mechanical-problem/) [Charley Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-reese/) > [Government is inherently incompetent, and no matter what task it is assigned, it will do it in the most expensive and inefficient way possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-reese/government-is-inherently-incompetent-and-no-matter-what-task-it-is/) [Charley Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-reese/) > [A government that intended to protect the liberty of the people would not disarm them. A government planning the opposite most certainly and logically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-reese/a-government-that-intended-to-protect-the-liberty-of-the-people-would/) [Charley Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-reese/) > [ \[N\]o American should retreat an inch on the right of jurors to acquit if they perceive the law or its administration to be unjust. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-reese/n-o-american-should-retreat-an-inch-on-the-right-of-jurors-to-acquit/) [Charley Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-reese/) > [ \[Y\]ou cannot determine either the truth or the right or wrong of anything with a poll. You can only tabulate people's opinions. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-reese/y-ou-cannot-determine-either-the-truth-or-the-right-or-wrong-of/) [Charley Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-reese/) > [If we could manage our own finances the way the Congress does the nation's, we'd all be living in high cotton and eating high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-reese/if-we-could-manage-our-own-finances-the-way-the-congress-does-the/) [Charley Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-reese/) > [There's no dishonor in being forced by a superior power into slavery, but it is an eternal disgrace to voluntarily surrender one's liberty for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-reese/there-s-no-dishonor-in-being-forced-by-a-superior-power-into-slavery/) [Charley Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-reese/) > [We...are not really free if we can't control our own government and its policies. And we will never do that if we remain ignorant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-reese/we-are-not-really-free-if-we-can-t-control-our-own-government-and-its/) [Charley Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-reese/) > [Credibility, like virginity, can only be lost once and never recovered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-reese/credibility-like-virginity-can-only-be-lost-once-and-never-recovered/) [Charley Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-reese/) > [Given the low level of competence among politicians, every American should become a libertarian. The government that governs least is certainly the best choice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-reese/given-the-low-level-of-competence-among-politicians-every-american/) [Charley Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-reese/) > [A nation dies culturally and spiritually first. Its money and its army are the last to go, but go they do once the light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-reese/a-nation-dies-culturally-and-spiritually-first-its-money-and-its-army/) [Charley Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-reese/) [Explore all 46 Charley Reese quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-reese/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. 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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/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is a foolish man who believes that the status quo can be maintained indefinitely.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charley Reese" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-reese/it-is-a-foolish-man-who-believes-that-the-status-quo-can-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-reese/it-is-a-foolish-man-who-believes-that-the-status-quo-can-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/charley-reese-14592_believe_it-is-a-foolish-man-who-believes-that-th_762701.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/charley-reese-14592_believe_it-is-a-foolish-man-who-believes-that-th_762701.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d4/charley-reese-14592_believe_it-is-a-foolish-man-who-believes-that-th_762701.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is a foolish man who believes that the status quo can be maintained indefinitely.” — Charley Reese", "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": "Charley Reese", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-reese/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is a foolish man who...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-reese/it-is-a-foolish-man-who-believes-that-the-status-quo-can-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-reese/it-is-a-foolish-man-who-believes-that-the-status-quo-can-be/#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 } } ] } ```