--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Standards only move in one direction. At…" description: "\"“Standards only move in one direction. At the beginning of the world, standards were established and they've been slipping ever since.”\" — Edward Steve..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f95/edward-stevenson-234855_humor_standards-only-move-in-one-direction-at_2592911.jpg" --- # Standards only move in one direction. At the beginning of… ![“Standards only move in one direction. At the beginning of the world, standards were established and they've been slipping ever since.” quote by Edward Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f95/edward-stevenson-234855_humor_standards-only-move-in-one-direction-at_2592911.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f95/edward-stevenson-234855_humor_standards-only-move-in-one-direction-at_2592911.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f95/edward-stevenson-234855_humor_standards-only-move-in-one-direction-at_2592911.jpg) > ““Standards only move in one direction. At the beginning of the world, standards were established and they've been slipping ever since.”” [Edward Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-stevenson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Standards only rise; once set at creation, they have since declined. **In simple terms:** Standards decline over time. Key Takeaway Work to raise standards. Themes standards history decline progress quality Mood critical reflective Type analysis observation When to use this quote - education - industry - government - culture - technology development Key Concepts normative theory social change Questions to Reflect On - How can standards be restored? - What causes standards to slip? A Different Perspective Standards can be re‑established. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Direction Beginning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direction-beginning-1877227/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Standards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standards/) [Standards Direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standards-direction-1877224/) [Standards Established](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/standards-established-1877225/) [World Standards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-standards-1877226/) ## Related quotes > [“Samantha, you're in my world now. We have standards here." -Jesse”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-ely/samantha-you-re-in-my-world-now-we-have-standards-here-jesse/) [Wendy Ely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-ely/) > [Don't judge the whole world by your own standards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin/don-t-judge-the-whole-world-by-your-own-standards/) [Alvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin/) > [You don't have to judge the whole world by your own standards. Not everybody is like you, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/you-don-t-have-to-judge-the-whole-world-by-your-own-standards-not/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [We must accept the fact that transport and communications will bring the world in close relations and the youth of the world should have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliette-gordon-low/we-must-accept-the-fact-that-transport-and-communications-will-bring/) [Juliette Gordon Low](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliette-gordon-low/) > [When happiness becomes our standard for judging truth, things that make us happy give us permission to do some things that otherwise would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/when-happiness-becomes-our-standard-for-judging-truth-things-that/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [Art finds her own perfection within, and not outside of, herself. She is not to be judged by any external standard of resemblance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/art-finds-her-own-perfection-within-and-not-outside-of-herself-she-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Humans suffer from self-centred notions as to the nature of life. Humans assume that alien life forms should conform to standards that match our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-perry/humans-suffer-from-self-centred-notions-as-to-the-nature-of-life/) [Steve Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-perry/) > [I grew up in San Diego, so it wasn't hard to move to L.A. to get into show business, but I did the standard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-benson/i-grew-up-in-san-diego-so-it-wasn-t-hard-to-move-to-l-a-to-get-into/) [Doug Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-benson/) > ["Natural" is a very dangerous word to use about sexuality ... Our society's notions of normality are completely fake and meta-trendy, since they rely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-bright/natural-is-a-very-dangerous-word-to-use-about-sexuality-our-society-s/) [Susie Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-bright/) > [Boys say they don't mind how you get your hair done. But then they leave you for someone with really great standard girl hair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexa-chung/boys-say-they-don-t-mind-how-you-get-your-hair-done-but-then-they/) [Alexa Chung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexa-chung/) > [In nine months, a group of children left alone with a computer in any language will reach the same standard as an office secretary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugata-mitra/in-nine-months-a-group-of-children-left-alone-with-a-computer-in-any/) [Sugata Mitra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugata-mitra/) > [Anyone who maintains absolute standards of good and evil is dangerous. As dangerous as a maniac with a loaded revolver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/anyone-who-maintains-absolute-standards-of-good-and-evil-is-dangerous/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [America today is a confused society, caught up in a terror war, a culture war, and a media war, where honesty and professional standards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/america-today-is-a-confused-society-caught-up-in-a-terror-war-a/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [We can't win the struggle for high standards if we just talk a good game . . . we've got to play a good game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/price-pritchett/we-can-t-win-the-struggle-for-high-standards-if-we-just-talk-a-good/) [Price Pritchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/price-pritchett/) > [“Standards are just the most accepted ways of doing things. They're usually unquestioned, not challenged, not the most efficient, and not the best way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-otton/standards-are-just-the-most-accepted-ways-of-doing-things-they-re/) [Rick Otton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-otton/) ## More Humor quotes > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [In my opinion, sexiness comes down to three things: chemistry, sense of humor, and treatment of waitstaff at restaurants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhoda-janzen/in-my-opinion-sexiness-comes-down-to-three-things-chemistry-sense-of/) [Rhoda Janzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhoda-janzen/) > [“...I haven't guessed where your shirt is from yet Bane, but I don't think it'll matter once it's underwater!' Tristan looked at Bane questioningly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-k-munt/i-haven-t-guessed-where-your-shirt-is-from-yet-bane-but-i-don-t-think/) [S.K. Munt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-k-munt/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [“Not wise, perhaps, to be rude to the Pope's favorite son, but my viper tongue still required a fool now and then on which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/not-wise-perhaps-to-be-rude-to-the-pope-s-favorite-son-but-my-viper/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [If you were to send a werewolf to the moon, would he be a werewolf permanently?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-schaal/if-you-were-to-send-a-werewolf-to-the-moon-would-he-be-a-werewolf/) [Kristen Schaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-schaal/) > [“I only have two words to say More or Less”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timbur/i-only-have-two-words-to-say-more-or-less/) [TimBur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timbur/) > [“ “Do Southerners laugh at different things than Northerners do? Yes, I say--Northerners.” Roy Blount, Jr., Roy Blount’s Book of Southern Humor”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-ford/do-southerners-laugh-at-different-things-than-northerners-do-yes-i/) [Deborah Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-ford/) > [There's a difference between delivering real funny and just silly funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/there-s-a-difference-between-delivering-real-funny-and-just-silly/) [Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/) > [I love being my silly ole self! Lifes a lot better when you have a good sense of humor and you smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-being-my-silly-ole-self-lifes-a-lot-better-when-you-have-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) [Browse all 33,155 Humor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Standards only move in one direction. At the beginning of the world, standards were established and they've been slipping ever since.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edward Stevenson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-stevenson/standards-only-move-in-one-direction-at-the-beginning-of-the-world/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Humor" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-stevenson/standards-only-move-in-one-direction-at-the-beginning-of-the-world/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f95/edward-stevenson-234855_humor_standards-only-move-in-one-direction-at_2592911.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f95/edward-stevenson-234855_humor_standards-only-move-in-one-direction-at_2592911.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f95/edward-stevenson-234855_humor_standards-only-move-in-one-direction-at_2592911.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Standards only move in one direction. At the beginning of the world, standards were established and they've…” — Edward Stevenson", "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": "Edward Stevenson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-stevenson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Standards only move in one direction....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-stevenson/standards-only-move-in-one-direction-at-the-beginning-of-the-world/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-stevenson/standards-only-move-in-one-direction-at-the-beginning-of-the-world/#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 } } ] } ```