Difficult Quote by Cornel West
“I recall coming across a line by the late Charles Tilly when he said, "The conditions for the possibility of social movements have been called into question in the twenty-first century." And I said to myself, my god, a society in history without social movements, for me, is very difficult to live in.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Podcast on Social Movements, 2022
Social movements are essential for societal vitality; questioning their existence reveals a crisis.
In simple terms: Movements matter; their loss is alarming.
Key Takeaway
Support and study social movements.
Themes
society
activism
history
movement theory
crisis
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
sociological
philosophical
When to use this quote
- civil rights protests
- grassroots organizing
- digital activism
Key Concepts
collective action
social change
historical continuity
Questions to Reflect On
- What sustains movements in modern times?
- How can we protect movement spaces?
A Different Perspective
Overemphasis on movements may ignore structural reforms.
![“You can't really move forward until you look back. [From Remaking America panel discussion at George Washington University]” quote by Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/273/cornel-west-708_george-w_you-can-t-really-move-forward-until-you_37313.jpg)
