--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Seeking the ideal has a long history, it…" description: "\"Seeking the ideal has a long history, it produces many saints but few paradigm changes.\" — Dave Snowden" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a14/dave-snowden-89120_change_seeking-the-ideal-has-a-long-history-it_2478768.png" --- # Seeking the ideal has a long history, it produces many… ![“Seeking the ideal has a long history, it produces many saints but few paradigm changes.” quote by Dave Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a14/dave-snowden-89120_change_seeking-the-ideal-has-a-long-history-it_2478768.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a14/dave-snowden-89120_change_seeking-the-ideal-has-a-long-history-it_2478768.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a14/dave-snowden-89120_change_seeking-the-ideal-has-a-long-history-it_2478768.png) > “Seeking the ideal has a long history, it produces many saints but few paradigm changes.” Dave Snowden ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pursuing perfect ideals creates many saints but rarely changes the paradigm. **In simple terms:** Idealism yields many followers but few breakthroughs. Key Takeaway Seek change, not just perfection. Themes change history ideals paradigm progress Mood reflective critical Type Change:1 History:0 Ideals:0 Long:0 Long history:0 Paradigm:0 Produce:0 Saint:0 Seeking:0 Saints Paradigm:0 Produces Saints:0 Seeking Ideal:0 History Produces:0 When to use this quote - religious reform - scientific research - social movements Key Concepts idealism stagnation innovation Questions to Reflect On - What limits idealism from reshaping systems? - How can we foster paradigm shifts? A Different Perspective Ideal quests can become stagnant. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Ideals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideals/) [Long history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-history/) [Paradigm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradigm/) [Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saint/) ## Related quotes > [History produces not only the forces of domination but also the forces of resistance that press up against and are often the objects of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-grosz/history-produces-not-only-the-forces-of-domination-but-also-the/) Elizabeth Grosz > [We have many times led Europe in the fight for freedom. It would be an ignoble end to our long history if we tamely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-eden/we-have-many-times-led-europe-in-the-fight-for-freedom-it-would-be-an/) [Anthony Eden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-eden/) > [We live in a society that has a long history of not valuing people of color or women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karamo-brown/we-live-in-a-society-that-has-a-long-history-of-not-valuing-people-of/) [Karamo Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karamo-brown/) > [“In the long history of male and female relations all the way back to the Garden, I can't think of one in which a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-arana/in-the-long-history-of-male-and-female-relations-all-the-way-back-to/) [Marie Arana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-arana/) > [“You have a long history," he said, when Lanya indicated her story was finished. 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