--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we assess the impact of…" description: "\"When we assess the impact of technological changes, we tend to downplay things that happened a while ago.\" — Ha-Joon Chang" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae4/ha-joon-chang-3497_assess_when-we-assess-the-impact-of-technologic_2415991.png" --- # When we assess the impact of technological changes, we… ![“When we assess the impact of technological changes, we tend to downplay things that happened a while ago.” quote by Ha-Joon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae4/ha-joon-chang-3497_assess_when-we-assess-the-impact-of-technologic_2415991.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae4/ha-joon-chang-3497_assess_when-we-assess-the-impact-of-technologic_2415991.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae4/ha-joon-chang-3497_assess_when-we-assess-the-impact-of-technologic_2415991.png) > “When we assess the impact of technological changes, we tend to downplay things that happened a while ago.” [Ha-Joon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Historical technological impacts are often undervalued, leading to a skewed view of progress. **In simple terms:** We forget past tech’s influence. Key Takeaway Study history to inform future tech. Themes technology history perception Mood analytical curious Type academic informative When to use this quote - policy making - education - business strategy - media analysis Key Concepts path dependence innovation cycles cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - What past tech shapes today’s world? - How can we better preserve tech history? A Different Perspective The claim may overstate collective memory loss. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assess/) [Changes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changes/) [Changes Tend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changes-tend-4979045/) [Downplay Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/downplay-things-253809/) [Happened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happened/) [Happened Ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happened-ago-6098888/) [Impact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impact/) [Technological](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technological/) [Technological Changes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technological-changes-1038454/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Tend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tend/) [Tend Downplay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tend-downplay-6098887/) [Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things/) [While](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/while/) ## Related quotes > [I always stand behind the things that I do. I don't listen to those who downplay things nor do I pay attention to those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-sydal/i-always-stand-behind-the-things-that-i-do-i-don-t-listen-to-those/) [Matt Sydal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-sydal/) > [“What I have found over and over is that, once we have made short-term changes, they tend to change our long-term habits.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-d-barnard/what-i-have-found-over-and-over-is-that-once-we-have-made-short-term/) [Neal D. Barnard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-d-barnard/) > [“Up until the nineteenth century, the vast majority of military revolutions were the product of organisational rather than technological changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/up-until-the-nineteenth-century-the-vast-majority-of-military/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [“The shift of power to retailers is not an inevitable phenomenon: technological changes and associated innovative ideas have been instrumental in moving power and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-thain/the-shift-of-power-to-retailers-is-not-an-inevitable-phenomenon/) [Greg Thain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-thain/) > [The economic and technological changes are real, but I just can't bring myself to wax apocalyptic about the future of books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edelstein/the-economic-and-technological-changes-are-real-but-i-just-can-t/) [David Edelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-edelstein/) > [School districts around the country, and the taxpayers that support them, have a moral right to the information the NFL might have concerning the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-pierce/school-districts-around-the-country-and-the-taxpayers-that-support/) [Charlie Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-pierce/) > [It's hard for me to assess what I brought because each time you pick up a camera and point it at a person, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-arnold/it-s-hard-for-me-to-assess-what-i-brought-because-each-time-you-pick/) [Eve Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-arnold/) > [Mortal experiences give us the opportunity to assess what we are doing with our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/mortal-experiences-give-us-the-opportunity-to-assess-what-we-are/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [At the end of every season, I try to assess what I did well and what I didn't do well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-redick/at-the-end-of-every-season-i-try-to-assess-what-i-did-well-and-what-i/) [J. J. Redick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-redick/) > [Our championship committee pledged to review entry conditions and to assess how women golfers might compete on equal terms with men for a place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dawson/our-championship-committee-pledged-to-review-entry-conditions-and-to/) [Peter Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dawson/) > [“An insipid voice message or an incongruent emergence from the “other” world may disrupt our whole thinking system. If we are not able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/an-insipid-voice-message-or-an-incongruent-emergence-from-the-other/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [Did you know that the state is the proud owner of a condo complex in Conway? This budget adds a real estate manager position…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lynch/did-you-know-that-the-state-is-the-proud-owner-of-a-condo-complex-in/) [John Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lynch/) > [My mum passing away wasn't funny, but that funeral and what I went through, the things that happened, looking back at it, there were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/my-mum-passing-away-wasn-t-funny-but-that-funeral-and-what-i-went/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) > [If I'm preparing for something and I've got a huge day the next day, I have to get into character the night before to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-morton/if-i-m-preparing-for-something-and-i-ve-got-a-huge-day-the-next-day-i/) [Samantha Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-morton/) > [“To assess the quality of thoughts of people, don't listen to their words, but watch their actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/to-assess-the-quality-of-thoughts-of-people-don-t-listen-to-their/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) ## More by Ha-Joon Chang > [“In no country does the average income give the right picture of how people live but in a country with higher inequality it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/in-no-country-does-the-average-income-give-the-right-picture-of-how/) [Ha-Joon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/) > [Sometimes people with strong ideology, whether left-wing or right-wing, refuse to do something simply because they believe it is wrong, when doing it actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/sometimes-people-with-strong-ideology-whether-left-wing-or-right-wing/) [Ha-Joon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/) > [Every market has some rules and boundaries that restrict freedom of choice. A market looks free only because we so unconditionally accept its underlying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/every-market-has-some-rules-and-boundaries-that-restrict-freedom-of/) [Ha-Joon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/) > [Indeed, willingness to challenge professional economists and other experts is a foundation stone of democracy. If all we have to do is to listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/indeed-willingness-to-challenge-professional-economists-and-other/) [Ha-Joon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/) > [If we are really serious about preventing another crisis like the 2008 meltdown we should simply ban complex financial instruments, unless they can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/if-we-are-really-serious-about-preventing-another-crisis-like-the/) [Ha-Joon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/) > [“Harry S. Truman, in his typical no-nonsense style, once said that ‘An expert is someone who doesn’t want to learn anything new, because then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/harry-s-truman-in-his-typical-no-nonsense-style-once-said-that-an/) [Ha-Joon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/) > [Rational thinking is an important aspect of human nature, but we have imagination, we have ambition, we have irrational fear, we are swayed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/rational-thinking-is-an-important-aspect-of-human-nature-but-we-have/) [Ha-Joon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/) > [The history of capitalism has been so totally re-written that many people in the rich world do not perceive the historical double standards involved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/the-history-of-capitalism-has-been-so-totally-re-written-that-many/) [Ha-Joon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/) > [Equality of opportunity is meaningless for those who do not have the capabilities to take advantage of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/equality-of-opportunity-is-meaningless-for-those-who-do-not-have-the/) [Ha-Joon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/) > [The higher education system in these countries (US, Korea etc) has become like a theatre in which some people decided to stand to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/the-higher-education-system-in-these-countries-us-korea-etc-has/) [Ha-Joon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/) > [What free-market economists are not telling us is that the politics they want to get rid of are none other than those of democracy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/what-free-market-economists-are-not-telling-us-is-that-the-politics/) [Ha-Joon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/) > [ “Joseph Schumpeter emphasized that all analysis in economics is preceded by a pre-analytical cognitive act, called vision, in which the analyst ‘visualise\[s\] a distinct… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/joseph-schumpeter-emphasized-that-all-analysis-in-economics-is/) [Ha-Joon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/) > [“All technical professionals have an incentive to make themselves look more complicated than they are so that they can justify the high fees their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/all-technical-professionals-have-an-incentive-to-make-themselves-look/) [Ha-Joon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/) > [I'm not an anti-capitalist, or anarchist. I want capitalism to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/i-m-not-an-anti-capitalist-or-anarchist-i-want-capitalism-to-work/) [Ha-Joon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/) > [“all technical professions have an incentive to make themselves look more complicated than they really are so that they can justify the high fees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/all-technical-professions-have-an-incentive-to-make-themselves-look/) [Ha-Joon Chang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/) [Explore all 129 Ha-Joon Chang quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/) ## More Assess quotes > [“To assess the quality of thoughts of people, don't listen to their words, but watch their actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/to-assess-the-quality-of-thoughts-of-people-don-t-listen-to-their/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [If I'm preparing for something and I've got a huge day the next day, I have to get into character the night before to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-morton/if-i-m-preparing-for-something-and-i-ve-got-a-huge-day-the-next-day-i/) [Samantha Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-morton/) > [My mum passing away wasn't funny, but that funeral and what I went through, the things that happened, looking back at it, there were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/my-mum-passing-away-wasn-t-funny-but-that-funeral-and-what-i-went/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) > [Did you know that the state is the proud owner of a condo complex in Conway? This budget adds a real estate manager position…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lynch/did-you-know-that-the-state-is-the-proud-owner-of-a-condo-complex-in/) [John Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lynch/) > [“An insipid voice message or an incongruent emergence from the “other” world may disrupt our whole thinking system. If we are not able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/an-insipid-voice-message-or-an-incongruent-emergence-from-the-other/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [Our championship committee pledged to review entry conditions and to assess how women golfers might compete on equal terms with men for a place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dawson/our-championship-committee-pledged-to-review-entry-conditions-and-to/) [Peter Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dawson/) > [At the end of every season, I try to assess what I did well and what I didn't do well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-redick/at-the-end-of-every-season-i-try-to-assess-what-i-did-well-and-what-i/) [J. J. Redick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-redick/) > [Mortal experiences give us the opportunity to assess what we are doing with our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/mortal-experiences-give-us-the-opportunity-to-assess-what-we-are/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [It's hard for me to assess what I brought because each time you pick up a camera and point it at a person, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-arnold/it-s-hard-for-me-to-assess-what-i-brought-because-each-time-you-pick/) [Eve Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-arnold/) > [School districts around the country, and the taxpayers that support them, have a moral right to the information the NFL might have concerning the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-pierce/school-districts-around-the-country-and-the-taxpayers-that-support/) [Charlie Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-pierce/) > [Augustine says that you don't understand a nation by the throw weight of its military or the strength of its research universities or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/augustine-says-that-you-don-t-understand-a-nation-by-the-throw-weight/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [I always assess what's my fault, but I don't dwell on mistakes, I never have; it's not part of my make up. I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hart/i-always-assess-what-s-my-fault-but-i-don-t-dwell-on-mistakes-i-never/) [Joe Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hart/) > [“The way we assess time as humans determines what we become”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/the-way-we-assess-time-as-humans-determines-what-we-become/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [Sitting at a candidate rally is similar to sitting in a ballyard. Both give you the opportunity to assess the technical metrics and reflect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-pelosi/sitting-at-a-candidate-rally-is-similar-to-sitting-in-a-ballyard-both/) [Christine Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-pelosi/) > [“Tried to assess the situation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-grabenstein/tried-to-assess-the-situation/) [Chris Grabenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-grabenstein/) [Browse all 43 Assess quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assess/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When we assess the impact of technological changes, we tend to downplay things that happened a while ago.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ha-Joon Chang" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/when-we-assess-the-impact-of-technological-changes-we-tend-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Assess" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/when-we-assess-the-impact-of-technological-changes-we-tend-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae4/ha-joon-chang-3497_assess_when-we-assess-the-impact-of-technologic_2415991.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae4/ha-joon-chang-3497_assess_when-we-assess-the-impact-of-technologic_2415991.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae4/ha-joon-chang-3497_assess_when-we-assess-the-impact-of-technologic_2415991.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When we assess the impact of technological changes, we tend to downplay things that happened a while ago.” — Ha-Joon Chang", "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": "Ha-Joon Chang", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ha-joon-chang/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When we assess the impact of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/when-we-assess-the-impact-of-technological-changes-we-tend-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ha-joon-chang/when-we-assess-the-impact-of-technological-changes-we-tend-to/#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 } } ] } ```