--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Conformity can be costly in a world of…" description: "\"Conformity can be costly in a world of uncertainty which requires innovative institutional creation because no one can know the right path to survival...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2c/douglass-north-23172_competition_conformity-can-be-costly-in-a-world-of-u_690700.jpg" --- # Conformity can be costly in a world of uncertainty which… ![“Conformity can be costly in a world of uncertainty which requires innovative institutional creation because no one can know the right path to survival. Over time, the richer the cultural context in terms of providing multiple experimentation and creative competition, the more likely the successful…” quote by Douglass North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2c/douglass-north-23172_competition_conformity-can-be-costly-in-a-world-of-u_690700.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2c/douglass-north-23172_competition_conformity-can-be-costly-in-a-world-of-u_690700.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2c/douglass-north-23172_competition_conformity-can-be-costly-in-a-world-of-u_690700.jpg) > “Conformity can be costly in a world of uncertainty which requires innovative institutional creation because no one can know the right path to survival. Over time, the richer the cultural context in terms of providing multiple experimentation and creative competition, the more likely the successful survival of the society” [Douglass North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglass-north/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In uncertain environments, societies that foster diverse experiments and competition are more likely to develop innovative institutions that ensure survival. **In simple terms:** Diverse experiments help societies survive uncertainty. Key Takeaway Encourage multiple approaches to problem solving. Themes innovation uncertainty institutional development Mood analytical optimistic Type theoretical strategic When to use this quote - policy design - economic development - organizational strategy Key Concepts experimentation competition cultural diversity Questions to Reflect On - What balance of experimentation and coordination is optimal? - How can societies manage risk while fostering innovation? A Different Perspective Too many experiments can cause paralysis without coordination. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Competition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competition/) [Conformity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conformity/) [Conformity Costly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conformity-costly-5488146/) [Creation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creation/) [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Creative Competition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative-competition-5488149/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Experimentation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experimentation/) [Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) [Innovative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovative/) [Innovative Institutional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovative-institutional-5488150/) [Institutional Creation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/institutional-creation-5488147/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Multiple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/multiple/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) [Providing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/providing/) [Requires Innovative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/requires-innovative-5488148/) [Right path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-path/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Survival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survival/) [Term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/term/) [Uncertainty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncertainty/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“The amateur doesn't appreciate the need for experimentation. He wants his experts to know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner-2/the-amateur-doesn-t-appreciate-the-need-for-experimentation-he-wants/) [B.F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner-2/) > [There is no such thing as a failed experiment, only experiments with unexpected outcomes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-failed-experiment-only-experiments-with/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [“By means of personal experimentation and observation, we can discover certain simple and universal truths. The mind moves the body, and the body follows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/by-means-of-personal-experimentation-and-observation-we-can-discover/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think in times of fear and hysteria in a culture, gender experimentation as it pertains to men has to go underground because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/i-think-in-times-of-fear-and-hysteria-in-a-culture-gender/) [RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/) > [I tend more towards what some people call literary science fiction, but what I mean by that is that it is full of interesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-einhorn/i-tend-more-towards-what-some-people-call-literary-science-fiction/) [Edward Einhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-einhorn/) > [There would seem to be a limit, even for an art preoccupied with boundaries and transgressions, beyond which a work reaches its breaking point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-ferneyhough/there-would-seem-to-be-a-limit-even-for-an-art-preoccupied-with/) [Brian Ferneyhough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-ferneyhough/) > [You still want to be thoughtful about what you do, no doubt, but you have to learn through trial-and-error experimentation as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-d-anthony/you-still-want-to-be-thoughtful-about-what-you-do-no-doubt-but-you/) [Scott D. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-d-anthony/) > [I believe that 20-somethings would be more likely to embrace experimentation - and provide additional value - if they felt safe to do so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-engelbert/i-believe-that-20-somethings-would-be-more-likely-to-embrace/) [Cathy Engelbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-engelbert/) > [Many, many people have done a lot more sexual experimentation than I have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/many-many-people-have-done-a-lot-more-sexual-experimentation-than-i/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [America was born of revolt, flourished in dissent, became great through experimentation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-steele-commager/america-was-born-of-revolt-flourished-in-dissent-became-great-through/) [Henry Steele Commager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-steele-commager/) > [Cities need old buildings so badly it is probably impossible for vigorous streets and districts to grow without them… for really new ideas of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-jacobs/cities-need-old-buildings-so-badly-it-is-probably-impossible-for/) [Jane Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-jacobs/) > [As a child there was no place for adventure or experimentation. I guess that kind of freedom started in high school with punk rock.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mcnairy/as-a-child-there-was-no-place-for-adventure-or-experimentation-i/) [Mark McNairy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mcnairy/) > [“Play and experimentation loosens our grip on life and allows for more chance luck to surprise us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/play-and-experimentation-loosens-our-grip-on-life-and-allows-for-more/) [Elizabeth Hyde Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/) > [“There is a time and place for electromagnetic shielding and I regard it as a last resort due to the long term biological problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/there-is-a-time-and-place-for-electromagnetic-shielding-and-i-regard/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“Trust energizes participants. We feel good when things work smoothly. We need to be safe to experiment and make mistakes. We need testing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-beck/trust-energizes-participants-we-feel-good-when-things-work-smoothly/) [Kent Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-beck/) ## More by Douglass North > [I went back to graduate school with the clear intention that what I wanted to do with my life was to improve societies, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglass-north/i-went-back-to-graduate-school-with-the-clear-intention-that-what-i/) [Douglass North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglass-north/) > [To predict the future we would have to know today what we will learn tomorrow which will shape our future actions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglass-north/to-predict-the-future-we-would-have-to-know-today-what-we-will-learn/) [Douglass North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglass-north/) > [The evolution of government from its medieval, Mafia-like character to that embodying modern legal institutions and instruments is a major part of the history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglass-north/the-evolution-of-government-from-its-medieval-mafia-like-character-to/) [Douglass North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglass-north/) > [I went to elementary school in Ottawa, and then to a private secondary school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglass-north/i-went-to-elementary-school-in-ottawa-and-then-to-a-private-secondary/) [Douglass North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglass-north/) > [Information costs are reduced by the existence of large numbers of buyers and sellers. Under these conditions, prices embody the same information that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglass-north/information-costs-are-reduced-by-the-existence-of-large-numbers-of/) [Douglass North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglass-north/) > [My early work and publications centered around expanding on the analysis of life insurance in my dissertation and its relationship to investment banking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglass-north/my-early-work-and-publications-centered-around-expanding-on-the/) [Douglass North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglass-north/) > [When it came time to go to college, I had been accepted for Harvard when my father was offered the position of head of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglass-north/when-it-came-time-to-go-to-college-i-had-been-accepted-for-harvard/) [Douglass North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglass-north/) > [I would be remiss if I left the impression that my life has been totally preoccupied with scholarly research.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglass-north/i-would-be-remiss-if-i-left-the-impression-that-my-life-has-been/) [Douglass North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglass-north/) > [In 1972 I married again, to Elisabeth Case; she continues to be wife, companion, critic and editor: a partner in the projects and programs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglass-north/in-1972-i-married-again-to-elisabeth-case-she-continues-to-be-wife/) [Douglass North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglass-north/) > [The development of a political-economic framework to explore long-run institutional change occupied me during all of the 1980s and led to the publication of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglass-north/the-development-of-a-political-economic-framework-to-explore-long-run/) [Douglass North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglass-north/) > [I continue to be a photographer; I have enjoyed fishing and hunting with a close friend; and have owned two ranches, first in northern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglass-north/i-continue-to-be-a-photographer-i-have-enjoyed-fishing-and-hunting/) [Douglass North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglass-north/) > [My brother and sister are both older than I am and were born before my father went off to World War I.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglass-north/my-brother-and-sister-are-both-older-than-i-am-and-were-born-before/) [Douglass North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglass-north/) > [I learned to fly an airplane, and had my own airplane during the 1960s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglass-north/i-learned-to-fly-an-airplane-and-had-my-own-airplane-during-the-1960s/) [Douglass North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglass-north/) > [I was opposed to World War II, and indeed on June 22, 1941 when Hitler invaded the Soviet Union I suddenly found myself the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglass-north/i-was-opposed-to-world-war-ii-and-indeed-on-june-22-1941-when-hitler/) [Douglass North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglass-north/) > [I had hoped to go to law school, but the war started, and because of the strong feeling that I did not want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglass-north/i-had-hoped-to-go-to-law-school-but-the-war-started-and-because-of/) [Douglass North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglass-north/) [Explore all 26 Douglass North quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglass-north/) ## More Competition quotes > [The Copa del Rey is a different competition. It is football in its purest form and is different from the continuity of the league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-laudrup/the-copa-del-rey-is-a-different-competition-it-is-football-in-its/) [Michael Laudrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-laudrup/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [I don't believe in competitions between artists. This is insane. Who has the authority to say someone is better?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-don-t-believe-in-competitions-between-artists-this-is-insane-who/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [People think that the Club World Cup is an easy competition, but it's not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keylor-navas/people-think-that-the-club-world-cup-is-an-easy-competition-but-it-s/) [Keylor Navas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keylor-navas/) > [If you ask another competitor, they may tell you they felt very competitive towards me. But I can tell you that my biggest competition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-kwan/if-you-ask-another-competitor-they-may-tell-you-they-felt-very/) [Michelle Kwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-kwan/) > [“At times, competition can be a good thing. But a person's value isn't something that can be ranked, is it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hotaru-odagiri/at-times-competition-can-be-a-good-thing-but-a-person-s-value-isn-t/) [Hotaru Odagiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hotaru-odagiri/) > [Our competition has always been anything that is wasting your time when you're bored at work. In a broad sense. We want people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-ohanian/our-competition-has-always-been-anything-that-is-wasting-your-time/) [Alexis Ohanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-ohanian/) > [I've always considered making it legal for Americans to import their prescription drugs a free-trade issue. Imports create competition and keep domestic industry more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-grassley/i-ve-always-considered-making-it-legal-for-americans-to-import-their/) [Chuck Grassley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-grassley/) > [Honestly, we’ll compete with everybody. I love competition. As long as people invent their own stuff, I love competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/honestly-we-ll-compete-with-everybody-i-love-competition-as-long-as/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [The "health, education, and welfare" section of government is another boondoggle. First we manufacture indigent and superfluous people by legal monopolies in land, money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurance-labadie/the-health-education-and-welfare-section-of-government-is-another/) [Laurance Labadie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurance-labadie/) > [I try to keep up with everything - all wrestling across the board. I want to know what the competition is doing, what the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-hardy/i-try-to-keep-up-with-everything-all-wrestling-across-the-board-i/) [Matt Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-hardy/) > [Sometimes in England, people look down at the Europa League, but being from the continent, I've always realised what an important competition it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mignolet/sometimes-in-england-people-look-down-at-the-europa-league-but-being/) [Simon Mignolet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mignolet/) > [“There is a scene in one of the Rocky movies where after the match Apollo Creed and Rocky are waiting for the scoring of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-a-passaro/there-is-a-scene-in-one-of-the-rocky-movies-where-after-the-match/) [John A. Passaro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-a-passaro/) > [I've always written. When I was in school, the only teacher who ever liked me was my creative writing teacher. I used to enter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-townes-earle/i-ve-always-written-when-i-was-in-school-the-only-teacher-who-ever/) [Justin Townes Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-townes-earle/) > [Competition between men is a fuel that's useful to us. We have to be careful that it doesn't tell the same story over too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-irwin/competition-between-men-is-a-fuel-that-s-useful-to-us-we-have-to-be/) [Bill Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-irwin/) [Browse all 3,894 Competition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Conformity can be costly in a world of uncertainty which requires innovative institutional creation because no one can know the right path to survival. 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