--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The history of human growth and…" description: "\"“The history of human growth and development is at the same time the history of the terrible struggle of every new idea heralding the approach of a bri..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5b/emma-goldman-774_growth_the-history-of-human-growth-and-developm_3152626.jpg" --- # The history of human growth and development is at the same… ![“The history of human growth and development is at the same time the history of the terrible struggle of every new idea heralding the approach of a brighter dawn. In its tenacious hold on tradition, the Old has never hesitated to make use of the foulest and cruelest means to stay the advent of the…” quote by Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5b/emma-goldman-774_growth_the-history-of-human-growth-and-developm_3152626.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5b/emma-goldman-774_growth_the-history-of-human-growth-and-developm_3152626.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5b/emma-goldman-774_growth_the-history-of-human-growth-and-developm_3152626.jpg) > ““The history of human growth and development is at the same time the history of the terrible struggle of every new idea heralding the approach of a brighter dawn. In its tenacious hold on tradition, the Old has never hesitated to make use of the foulest and cruelest means to stay the advent of the New, in whatever form or period the latter may have asserted itself. Nor need we retrace our steps into the distant past to realize the enormity of opposition, difficulties, and hardships placed in the path of every progressive idea. The rack, the thumbscrew, and the knout are still with us; so are the convict’s garb and the social wrath, all conspiring against the spirit that is serenely marching on.”” [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Progressive ideas face fierce resistance; old powers use harsh tactics to suppress new thought. **In simple terms:** New ideas are often met with violent opposition from tradition. Key Takeaway Persist despite opposition. Themes progress resistance history Mood determined critical Type political historical When to use this quote - activism - academic research - policy reform - media commentary Key Concepts political theory social change Questions to Reflect On - What strategies can protect innovative ideas? - How do you respond to entrenched opposition? A Different Perspective Opposition can also inspire stronger movements. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Growth And Development](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth-and-development/) [Heralding Approach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heralding-approach-5665284/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-human/) [Human Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-growth-501884/) [Progressive Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progressive-idea-2980390/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Tradition Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tradition-old-4359498/) ## Related quotes > [The history of human growth is at the same time the history of every new idea heralding the approach of a brighter dawn, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/the-history-of-human-growth-is-at-the-same-time-the-history-of-every/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [“Those were my Human Growth and Development notes, dicklick,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/those-were-my-human-growth-and-development-notes-dicklick/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [“education of children is not synonymous with herdlike drilling and training. If education should really mean anything at all, it must insist upon the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/various/education-of-children-is-not-synonymous-with-herdlike-drilling-and/) [Various](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/various/) > [I love Air Force Ones. That's the shoe I grew up with in Philadelphia. My older brothers got me wearing them and I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rasheed-wallace/i-love-air-force-ones-that-s-the-shoe-i-grew-up-with-in-philadelphia/) [Rasheed Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rasheed-wallace/) > [“That idea would be embarrassing because there is something excessive about it, it would take to much energy to defend (while the best possible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/that-idea-would-be-embarrassing-because-there-is-something-excessive/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [When somebody comes up with a progressive idea, to begin with, you're mad, bonkers. Then if you go on, you're dangerous. Then there's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/when-somebody-comes-up-with-a-progressive-idea-to-begin-with-you-re/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [Of all the wastes of human ignorance perhaps the most extravagant and costly to human growth has been the waste of the distinctive powers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-garlin-spencer/of-all-the-wastes-of-human-ignorance-perhaps-the-most-extravagant-and/) [Anna Garlin Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-garlin-spencer/) > [Fear is the great barrier to human growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-monroe/fear-is-the-great-barrier-to-human-growth/) [Robert Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-monroe/) > [Human growth is not like rhubarb. It can be nurtured and encouraged but it cannot be forced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hargreaves/human-growth-is-not-like-rhubarb-it-can-be-nurtured-and-encouraged/) [Andy Hargreaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hargreaves/) > [With each passage of human growth we must shed a protective structure . We are left exposed and vulnerable - but also yeasty and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-sheehy/with-each-passage-of-human-growth-we-must-shed-a-protective-structure/) [Gail Sheehy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-sheehy/) > [The social states of human kinds Are made by multitudes of minds, And after multitudes of years A little human growth appears Worth having,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-masefield/the-social-states-of-human-kinds-are-made-by-multitudes-of-minds-and/) [John Masefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-masefield/) > [The quality of American life is an insult to the possibilities of human growth... the pollution of American space, with gadgetry and cars and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/the-quality-of-american-life-is-an-insult-to-the-possibilities-of/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [“You and I have been created with a DNA that drives us to want to live a life with good experiences, forces us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yovanny-alfonso/you-and-i-have-been-created-with-a-dna-that-drives-us-to-want-to-live/) [Yovanny Alfonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yovanny-alfonso/) > [If you find yourself perplexed, or perhaps in a quandary, remember that human growth is perpendicular. We grow up and we grow forward, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rzeznik/if-you-find-yourself-perplexed-or-perhaps-in-a-quandary-remember-that/) [John Rzeznik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rzeznik/) > [Let me end with an explanation of why I believe the move into space to be a human imperative. It seems to me obvious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-roddenberry/let-me-end-with-an-explanation-of-why-i-believe-the-move-into-space/) [Gene Roddenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-roddenberry/) ## More by Emma Goldman > [Poor human nature, what horrible crimes have been committed in thy name! All wars are wars among thieves who are too cowardly to fight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/poor-human-nature-what-horrible-crimes-have-been-committed-in-thy/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [“Do not all theists insist that there can be no morality, no justice, honesty or fidelity without the belief in a Divine Power? Based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/do-not-all-theists-insist-that-there-can-be-no-morality-no-justice/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Lack of fairness to an opponent is essentially a sign of weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/lack-of-fairness-to-an-opponent-is-essentially-a-sign-of-weakness/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Do not all theists insist that there can be no morality, no justice, honesty or fidelity without the belief in a Divine Power? Based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/do-not-all-theists-insist-that-there-can-be-no-morality-no-justice-2/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Only when human sorrows are turned into a toy with glaring colors will baby people become interested - for a while at least. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/only-when-human-sorrows-are-turned-into-a-toy-with-glaring-colors/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [More pernicious than the power of a dictator is that of a class; the most terrible - the tyranny of a majority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/more-pernicious-than-the-power-of-a-dictator-is-that-of-a-class-the/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Love, the strongest and deepest element in all life, the harbinger of hope, of joy, of ecstasy; love, the definer of all laws, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/love-the-strongest-and-deepest-element-in-all-life-the-harbinger-of/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Whether our reformers admit it or not, the economic and social inferiority of women is responsible for prostitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/whether-our-reformers-admit-it-or-not-the-economic-and-social/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [The free expression of the hopes and aspirations of a people is the greatest and only safety in a sane society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/the-free-expression-of-the-hopes-and-aspirations-of-a-people-is-the/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Someone has said that it requires less mental effort to condemn than to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/someone-has-said-that-it-requires-less-mental-effort-to-condemn-than/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [The persecution of the innovator and protestant has always been inspired by fear on the part of constituted authority of having its infallibility questioned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/the-persecution-of-the-innovator-and-protestant-has-always-been/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Order derived through submission and maintained by terror is not much of a safe guaranty; yet that is the only "order" that governments have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/order-derived-through-submission-and-maintained-by-terror-is-not-much/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Today is the parent of tomorrow. The present casts its shadow far into the future. That is the law of life, individual and social.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/today-is-the-parent-of-tomorrow-the-present-casts-its-shadow-far-into/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Salvation lies in an energetic march onward towards a brighter and clearer future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/salvation-lies-in-an-energetic-march-onward-towards-a-brighter-and/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [The more hideous the mental contortions, the greater the delight and bravos of the mass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/the-more-hideous-the-mental-contortions-the-greater-the-delight-and/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) [Explore all 368 Emma Goldman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) ## More Growth quotes > [My coach, Robert Allen, helped me a lot. He had more influence on my growth as a player than anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamarcus-aldridge/my-coach-robert-allen-helped-me-a-lot-he-had-more-influence-on-my/) [LaMarcus Aldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamarcus-aldridge/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [“I urge you: don't cut short these thought-trains of yours. Follow them through to their end. Your thoughts and your feelings. Follow them through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-coetzee/i-urge-you-don-t-cut-short-these-thought-trains-of-yours-follow-them/) [J.M. Coetzee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-coetzee/) > [“Economic growth continued by means of a succession of new products which found growing and ultimately massive demand. Some of the new products were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-a-hudson/economic-growth-continued-by-means-of-a-succession-of-new-products/) [Edward A. Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-a-hudson/) > [“To engage in dialogue is to serve others via whatever is real inside you; to engage in debate is to ultimately serve the illusions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oli-anderson/to-engage-in-dialogue-is-to-serve-others-via-whatever-is-real-inside/) [Oli Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oli-anderson/) > [If you learn something that changes you, you've made progress. If you learn something that changes others, you've helped change the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lanie-lane/if-you-learn-something-that-changes-you-you-ve-made-progress-if-you/) [Lanie Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lanie-lane/) > [“SILENT LIKE SLEEP You appear by my side, silent like sleep. Soft hair, a little wild. No fear, gentle like a calm river. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-goddard/silent-like-sleep-you-appear-by-my-side-silent-like-sleep-soft-hair-a/) [Donna Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-goddard/) > [Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed; and it is consolatory to think, that although we can seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/friendship-the-wine-of-life-should-like-a-well-stocked-cellar-be/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [He who is content with what has been done is an obstacle in the path of progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/he-who-is-content-with-what-has-been-done-is-an-obstacle-in-the-path/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [“There is no growth without risk. There is always something to be gained from any experience. It is up to us to interpret our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truth-devour/there-is-no-growth-without-risk-there-is-always-something-to-be/) [Truth Devour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truth-devour/) > [Create an environment for people to fail, to learn, and to grow. Their creativity and productivity will increase.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/create-an-environment-for-people-to-fail-to-learn-and-to-grow-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You have to improve; that's how you develop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gustafsson/you-have-to-improve-that-s-how-you-develop/) [Alexander Gustafsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gustafsson/) [Browse all 9,113 Growth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The history of human growth and development is at the same time the history of the terrible struggle of every new idea heralding the approach of a brighter dawn. In its tenacious hold on tradition, the Old has never hesitated to make use of the foulest and cruelest means to stay the advent of the New, in whatever form or period the latter may have asserted itself. 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