--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Though all society is founded on…" description: "\"Though all society is founded on intolerance, all improvement is founded on tolerance.\" — George Bernard Shaw" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e3/george-bernard-shaw-68_improvement_though-all-society-is-founded-on-intoler_3062359.png" --- # Though all society is founded on intolerance, all… ![“Though all society is founded on intolerance, all improvement is founded on tolerance.” quote by George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e3/george-bernard-shaw-68_improvement_though-all-society-is-founded-on-intoler_3062359.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e3/george-bernard-shaw-68_improvement_though-all-society-is-founded-on-intoler_3062359.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e3/george-bernard-shaw-68_improvement_though-all-society-is-founded-on-intoler_3062359.png) > “Though all society is founded on intolerance, all improvement is founded on tolerance.” [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society tolerates differences, but progress requires openness and acceptance of new ideas. **In simple terms:** Progress needs tolerance, not intolerance. Key Takeaway Embrace openness to foster change. Themes tolerance progress society change Mood reflective optimistic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - political reform - education - community building - innovation Key Concepts philosophy social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How can we cultivate tolerance in hostile environments? - What limits does intolerance impose on societal growth? A Different Perspective Tolerance alone may not overcome entrenched power structures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Improvement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvement/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Intolerance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intolerance/) [Tolerance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tolerance/) ## Related quotes > [ “We must face the fact that society is founded on intolerance. \[. . .\] We may prate of toleration as we will; but society… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/we-must-face-the-fact-that-society-is-founded-on-intolerance-we-may/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [We can build a society grounded on friendship and our common humanity - a society founded on tolerance. That is the only road open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-can-build-a-society-grounded-on-friendship-and-our-common-humanity/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [There is no religion that was founded on intolerance - and no religion that does not value the sanctity of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/there-is-no-religion-that-was-founded-on-intolerance-and-no-religion/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [If the bell of intolerance tolls for one, it tolls for all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-seidel-canby/if-the-bell-of-intolerance-tolls-for-one-it-tolls-for-all/) [Henry Seidel Canby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-seidel-canby/) > [“In some cases, I am able to respect what so many call bigots. Such people have a more solid foundation for drawing their lines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/in-some-cases-i-am-able-to-respect-what-so-many-call-bigots-such/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [It is intolerance to speak of toleration. Away with the word from the dictionary!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-de-riqueti-marquis-de-mirabeau/it-is-intolerance-to-speak-of-toleration-away-with-the-word-from-the/) [Victor de Riqueti, marquis de Mirabeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-de-riqueti-marquis-de-mirabeau/) > [Intolerance has been the curse of our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-larkin/intolerance-has-been-the-curse-of-our-country/) [James Larkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-larkin/) > [“These days, though, tolerance means that you accept the other person's views as being true or legitimate. If you claim that someone is wrong,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-copan/these-days-though-tolerance-means-that-you-accept-the-other-person-s/) [Paul Copan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-copan/) > [Let us develop respect for all living things. Let us try to replace violence and intolerance with understanding and compassion. And love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/let-us-develop-respect-for-all-living-things-let-us-try-to-replace/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [Intolerance is the most socially acceptable form of egotism, for it permits us to assume superiority without personal boasting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/intolerance-is-the-most-socially-acceptable-form-of-egotism-for-it/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [“Why is it that, for one religion to be true, all other religions have to be false!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/why-is-it-that-for-one-religion-to-be-true-all-other-religions-have/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“It's probably those lactose-intolerant freaks. We all know there's nothing cool about intolerance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caprice-crane/it-s-probably-those-lactose-intolerant-freaks-we-all-know-there-s/) [Caprice Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caprice-crane/) > [“People thought tolerance was the opposite of intolerance. Whereas in fact it was some meaningless neutrality. A child, any child, growing up, discovering herself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-o-neill/people-thought-tolerance-was-the-opposite-of-intolerance-whereas-in/) [Jamie O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-o-neill/) > [Intolerance is itself a form of violence and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/intolerance-is-itself-a-form-of-violence-and-an-obstacle-to-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I resolutely believe that respect for diversity is a fundamental pillar in the eradication of racism, xenophobia and intolerance. There is no excuse for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rigoberta-menchu/i-resolutely-believe-that-respect-for-diversity-is-a-fundamental/) [Rigoberta Menchu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rigoberta-menchu/) ## More by George Bernard Shaw > [I love little children too but I don't cut off their heads and stick them in vases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/i-love-little-children-too-but-i-don-t-cut-off-their-heads-and-stick/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Blasphemy and sedition (meaning the truth about Church and State).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/blasphemy-and-sedition-meaning-the-truth-about-church-and-state/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [In the arts of life, man invents nothing; but in the arts of death he outdoes Nature herself, and produces by chemistry and machinery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/in-the-arts-of-life-man-invents-nothing-but-in-the-arts-of-death-he/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“My religious convictions and scientific views cannot at present be more specifically defined than as those of a believer in creative evolution. I desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/my-religious-convictions-and-scientific-views-cannot-at-present-be/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [What a man believes may be ascertained, not from his creed, but from the assumptions on which he habitually acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/what-a-man-believes-may-be-ascertained-not-from-his-creed-but-from/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [You are my inspiration and my folly. You are my light across the sea, my million nameless joys, and my day's wage. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/you-are-my-inspiration-and-my-folly-you-are-my-light-across-the-sea/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Men have to do some awfully mean things to keep up their respectability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/men-have-to-do-some-awfully-mean-things-to-keep-up-their/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The schoolmaster is the person who takes the children off the parents' hands for a consideration. That is to say, he establishes a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-schoolmaster-is-the-person-who-takes-the-children-off-the-parents/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [As long as I have a want, I have a reason for living. Satisfaction is death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/as-long-as-i-have-a-want-i-have-a-reason-for-living-satisfaction-is/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The camera can represent flesh so superbly that, if I dared, I would never photograph a figure without asking that figure to take its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-camera-can-represent-flesh-so-superbly-that-if-i-dared-i-would/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [A man who is not a communist at the age of twenty is a fool. Any man who is still communist at the age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/a-man-who-is-not-a-communist-at-the-age-of-twenty-is-a-fool-any-man/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [But to admire a strong person and to live under that strong person’s thumb are two different things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/but-to-admire-a-strong-person-and-to-live-under-that-strong-person-s/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Socialism is the same as Communism, only better English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/socialism-is-the-same-as-communism-only-better-english/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The person who is ignorant enough to believe that his nourishment depends on meat is in a horrible dilemma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-person-who-is-ignorant-enough-to-believe-that-his-nourishment/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [In the arts of peace Man is a bungler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/in-the-arts-of-peace-man-is-a-bungler/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) [Explore all 1,640 George Bernard Shaw quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) ## More Improvement quotes > [Create an environment for people to fail, to learn, and to grow. 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There are always obstacles and competitors. There is never an open road, except the wide road that leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kirubi/business-is-always-a-struggle-there-are-always-obstacles-and/) Chris Kirubi > [Decisions decide destiny, there is no action without decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/decisions-decide-destiny-there-is-no-action-without-decision/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [Continuous Improvement is taking control of how your company's money is being put to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/continuous-improvement-is-taking-control-of-how-your-company-s-money/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every step by which an individual substitutes concerted action for isolated action results in an immediate and recognizable improvement in his conditions. 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