--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In my opinion, neither organisms nor…" description: "\"In my opinion, neither organisms nor organizations evolve slowly and surely into something better, but drift until some small change occurs which has i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/edwin-land-7636_accidents_in-my-opinion-neither-organisms-nor-orga_3090984.png" --- # In my opinion, neither organisms nor organizations evolve… ![“In my opinion, neither organisms nor organizations evolve slowly and surely into something better, but drift until some small change occurs which has immediate and overwhelming significance. The special role of the human being is not to wait for these favorable accidents but deliberately to…” quote by Edwin Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/edwin-land-7636_accidents_in-my-opinion-neither-organisms-nor-orga_3090984.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/edwin-land-7636_accidents_in-my-opinion-neither-organisms-nor-orga_3090984.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ab/edwin-land-7636_accidents_in-my-opinion-neither-organisms-nor-orga_3090984.png) > “In my opinion, neither organisms nor organizations evolve slowly and surely into something better, but drift until some small change occurs which has immediate and overwhelming significance. The special role of the human being is not to wait for these favorable accidents but deliberately to introduce the small change that will have great significance.” [Edwin Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-land/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human progress depends on intentional small changes rather than passive drift. **In simple terms:** Small deliberate changes drive big impact. Key Takeaway Create and act on impactful small changes. Themes innovation agency change human role Mood optimistic determined forward‑looking Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - business strategy - personal development - technology innovation - policy reform Key Concepts Evolutionary dynamics strategic intervention impact theory Questions to Reflect On - What small change can you initiate today? - How do you identify high‑impact opportunities? A Different Perspective Small changes may not always succeed; timing and context matter. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidents/) [Biology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/biology/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Organisms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organisms/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) [Significance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/significance/) [Small changes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-changes/) [Something better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something-better/) ## Related quotes > [From my own perspective, I value productivity more than tradition, but the customs of the House evolve slowly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-polis/from-my-own-perspective-i-value-productivity-more-than-tradition-but/) [Jared Polis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-polis/) > [I actually don't have a great surplus of ideas. Some evolve very slowly, over many years, but I sort of trust that all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-july/i-actually-don-t-have-a-great-surplus-of-ideas-some-evolve-very/) [Miranda July](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-july/) > [Fashion should evolve slowly, without any revolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-de-givenchy/fashion-should-evolve-slowly-without-any-revolution/) [Hubert de Givenchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-de-givenchy/) > [I took to my room and let small things evolve slowly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-satie/i-took-to-my-room-and-let-small-things-evolve-slowly/) [Erik Satie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-satie/) > [“Change occurs at the edges, without permission.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-digh/change-occurs-at-the-edges-without-permission/) [Patti Digh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-digh/) > [When we have complements or oppositions, change occurs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/when-we-have-complements-or-oppositions-change-occurs/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [It's not about perfect. It's about effort. And when you bring that effort every single day, that's where transformation happens. That's how change occurs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jillian-michaels/it-s-not-about-perfect-it-s-about-effort-and-when-you-bring-that/) [Jillian Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jillian-michaels/) > [“Changing the question 'free from what?' into 'free for what?'; this change that occurs when freedom has been achieved has accompanied me on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vil-m-flusser/changing-the-question-free-from-what-into-free-for-what-this-change/) [Vilém Flusser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vil-m-flusser/) > [Change is more often a rapid transition between two stable states than a continuous transformation at slow and steady rates. . . .Change occurs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/change-is-more-often-a-rapid-transition-between-two-stable-states/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [All I claimed was that when a drastic change occurs, it occurs in a relatively small and isolated population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernst-mayr/all-i-claimed-was-that-when-a-drastic-change-occurs-it-occurs-in-a/) [Ernst Mayr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernst-mayr/) > [Dave played an important part in our growing, but change occurs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-gossard/dave-played-an-important-part-in-our-growing-but-change-occurs/) [Stone Gossard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-gossard/) > [Change occurs when deeply felt private experiences are given public legitimacy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/change-occurs-when-deeply-felt-private-experiences-are-given-public/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Well, my opinion is that real change occurs through deep interpersonal experiences. Others will also say deep spiritual experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/well-my-opinion-is-that-real-change-occurs-through-deep-interpersonal/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No fundamental social change occurs merely because government acts. It's because civil society, the conscience of a country, begins to rise up and demand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/no-fundamental-social-change-occurs-merely-because-government-acts-it/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [“Thinking like a coach requires not just a change in what you do, but also a change in who you are.  When that deep-level…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-hall/thinking-like-a-coach-requires-not-just-a-change-in-what-you-do-but/) Chad Hall ## More by Edwin Land > [We have to keep in practice like musicians. Besides, there are still potentialities to be realized in color film. To us, it's just like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-land/we-have-to-keep-in-practice-like-musicians-besides-there-are-still/) [Edwin Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-land/) > [It only takes a day to change someone from an anti-intellectual to an intellectual by persuading him that he might be one!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-land/it-only-takes-a-day-to-change-someone-from-an-anti-intellectual-to-an/) [Edwin Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-land/) > [Don't do anything that someone else can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-land/don-t-do-anything-that-someone-else-can-do/) [Edwin Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-land/) > [The present is the past biting into the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-land/the-present-is-the-past-biting-into-the-future/) [Edwin Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-land/) > [The world belongs to the articulate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-land/the-world-belongs-to-the-articulate/) [Edwin Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-land/) > [Why do I want to believe what I believe?... Science, to put it somewhat vulgarly, is a technique to keep yourself from kidding yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-land/why-do-i-want-to-believe-what-i-believe-science-to-put-it-somewhat/) [Edwin Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-land/) > [Who can object to a monopoly when any new company, if it is built around a scientific nucleus, can create a new monopoly of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-land/who-can-object-to-a-monopoly-when-any-new-company-if-it-is-built/) [Edwin Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-land/) > [I believe that each young person is different from any other who has ever lived, as different as his fingerprints: that he could bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-land/i-believe-that-each-young-person-is-different-from-any-other-who-has/) [Edwin Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-land/) > [There is no such thing as group originality, group creativity or group perspicacity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-land/there-is-no-such-thing-as-group-originality-group-creativity-or-group/) [Edwin Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-land/) > [A significant invention must be startling, unexpected. It must come to a world that is not prepared for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-land/a-significant-invention-must-be-startling-unexpected-it-must-come-to/) [Edwin Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-land/) > [I believe quite simply that the small company of the future will be as much a research organization as it is a manufacturing company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-land/i-believe-quite-simply-that-the-small-company-of-the-future-will-be/) [Edwin Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-land/) > [A premature attempt to explain something that thrills you will destroy your perceptivity rather than increase it, because your tendency will be to explain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-land/a-premature-attempt-to-explain-something-that-thrills-you-will/) [Edwin Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-land/) > [A significant inventionmust be startling, unexpected. It must come to a world that is not prepared for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-land/a-significant-inventionmust-be-startling-unexpected-it-must-come-to-a/) [Edwin Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-land/) > [The world is like a fertile field that's waiting to be harvested. The seeds have been planted, and what I do is go out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-land/the-world-is-like-a-fertile-field-that-s-waiting-to-be-harvested-the/) [Edwin Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-land/) > [The most important thing about power is to make sure you don't have to use it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-land/the-most-important-thing-about-power-is-to-make-sure-you-don-t-have/) [Edwin Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-land/) [Explore all 89 Edwin Land quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-land/) ## More Accidents quotes > [Almost all accidents take place because of human distraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/almost-all-accidents-take-place-because-of-human-distraction/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [It was no accident, no coincidence, that the seasons came round and round year after year. It was the Lord speaking to us all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-rivers/it-was-no-accident-no-coincidence-that-the-seasons-came-round-and/) [Francine Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-rivers/) > [No, I think most astronauts recognize that the space shuttle program is very high-risk, and are prepared for accidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/no-i-think-most-astronauts-recognize-that-the-space-shuttle-program/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [The only way to have a funeral is to invite everyone who ever knew the person and just wait for the accident to happen-somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/the-only-way-to-have-a-funeral-is-to-invite-everyone-who-ever-knew/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [Good films are not made by accident, nor is good photography. You can have good things happen, on occasion, by accident that can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-willis/good-films-are-not-made-by-accident-nor-is-good-photography-you-can/) [Gordon Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-willis/) > [By education I am an Englishman, by views an internationalist, by culture a Muslim and a Hindu only by accident of birth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jawaharlal-nehru/by-education-i-am-an-englishman-by-views-an-internationalist-by/) [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jawaharlal-nehru/) > [I made out with a homeless guy by accident. I had no idea -- he was really tan, he had no shoes on. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-schumer/i-made-out-with-a-homeless-guy-by-accident-i-had-no-idea-he-was/) [Amy Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-schumer/) > [Naturally I feel no shame in writing these things because of the time which separates the moment when they are written--when only I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-ernaux/naturally-i-feel-no-shame-in-writing-these-things-because-of-the-time/) [Annie Ernaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-ernaux/) > [In a city where you walk around, it's impossible to plan your day and your life as accidents will happen, you'll overhear things, bump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-schwartzman/in-a-city-where-you-walk-around-it-s-impossible-to-plan-your-day-and/) [Jason Schwartzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-schwartzman/) > [I don't think it's by accident that I was first attracted to translating two French women poets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-hacker/i-don-t-think-it-s-by-accident-that-i-was-first-attracted-to/) [Marilyn Hacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-hacker/) > [Despite my mentors advice that I would never go to heaven fishing with a weighted nymph and a float, I took it up. (As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bishop/despite-my-mentors-advice-that-i-would-never-go-to-heaven-fishing/) [Tony Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bishop/) > [Dont stand outside in a lightning shower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padraig/dont-stand-outside-in-a-lightning-shower/) [Padraig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padraig/) > [In the eyes of those lovers of perfection, a work is never finished a word that for them has no sense but abandoned; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-valery/in-the-eyes-of-those-lovers-of-perfection-a-work-is-never-finished-a/) [Paul Valery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-valery/) > [My musical career was an accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/my-musical-career-was-an-accident/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) [Browse all 1,971 Accidents quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidents/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In my opinion, neither organisms nor organizations evolve slowly and surely into something better, but drift until some small change occurs which has immediate and overwhelming significance. 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