--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For all my criticisms of the current…" description: "\"For all my criticisms of the current system, it doesn't mean that I would like to return to the old one.\" — Helen Suzman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e6/helen-suzman-24413_criticisms_for-all-my-criticisms-of-the-current-sys_2269529.png" --- # For all my criticisms of the current system, it doesn't… ![“For all my criticisms of the current system, it doesn't mean that I would like to return to the old one.” quote by Helen Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e6/helen-suzman-24413_criticisms_for-all-my-criticisms-of-the-current-sys_2269529.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e6/helen-suzman-24413_criticisms_for-all-my-criticisms-of-the-current-sys_2269529.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e6/helen-suzman-24413_criticisms_for-all-my-criticisms-of-the-current-sys_2269529.png) > “For all my criticisms of the current system, it doesn't mean that I would like to return to the old one.” [Helen Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-suzman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Criticizing a system does not imply a desire to revert to outdated models; reform is needed. **In simple terms:** Critique isn’t a call to return to old ways. Key Takeaway Advocate for progressive reform. Themes politics reform criticism progress innovation Mood analytical hopeful Type political activist When to use this quote - legislative reform - public advocacy - community organizing - policy review Key Concepts democratic theory social change policy analysis Questions to Reflect On - What reforms are most urgent today? - How can critique become constructive action? A Different Perspective Change can be slow and face entrenched opposition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [System](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/system/) ## Related quotes > [It's like my second home, 'It.' And I would like to return to it, because I feel very comfortable with it, and I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/it-s-like-my-second-home-it-and-i-would-like-to-return-to-it-because/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [“What is it like to return from the dead? Not easy. Not for the one who returns, nor for his people. The place he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/what-is-it-like-to-return-from-the-dead-not-easy-not-for-the-one-who/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [If I gave you a kiss and you don't like it, you can always return it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-gave-you-a-kiss-and-you-don-t-like-it-you-can-always-return-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There is something of yours that i would like to return to you . . . He leaned across the distance between them and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/there-is-something-of-yours-that-i-would-like-to-return-to-you-he/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [ \[At age 92:\] There are places I'd like to return to. But not as I was then but as I am now. 'Cause I'm… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonora-carrington/at-age-92-there-are-places-i-d-like-to-return-to-but-not-as-i-was/) [Leonora Carrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonora-carrington/) > [“Be a reflection of what you'd like to see in others. You get in return what you give.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/be-a-reflection-of-what-you-d-like-to-see-in-others-you-get-in-return/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [If I kiss you and you don't like it. You can always return it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemis-khan/if-i-kiss-you-and-you-don-t-like-it-you-can-always-return-it/) [Kemis Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemis-khan/) > [If I give you a kiss and you didn't like it you can always return it back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zaynab/if-i-give-you-a-kiss-and-you-didn-t-like-it-you-can-always-return-it/) [Zaynab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zaynab/) > [I could love you like never to be return because that's the way I loved you for a second turn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cath-chatto/i-could-love-you-like-never-to-be-return-because-that-s-the-way-i/) [Cath Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cath-chatto/) > [We should not be afraid of change, we should return to the old ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-turner/we-should-not-be-afraid-of-change-we-should-return-to-the-old-ideas/) [Alex Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-turner/) > [I'd like to see a return to old-school values, classic service and the old-world glamour of what dining - going out - is supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-leong/i-d-like-to-see-a-return-to-old-school-values-classic-service-and-the/) [Melissa Leong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-leong/) > [ I would like \[the working man\] to give me back books and newspapers and theories. And I would like to give him back, in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/i-would-like-the-working-man-to-give-me-back-books-and-newspapers-and/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [ We must do everything to ensure they \[the Palestinians\] never do return. The old will die and the young will forget, ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ben-gurion/we-must-do-everything-to-ensure-they-the-palestinians-never-do-return/) [David Ben-Gurion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ben-gurion/) > [“To the return of old friends and to an unexpected but most welcome new one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-rossi/to-the-return-of-old-friends-and-to-an-unexpected-but-most-welcome/) [Veronica Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-rossi/) > [You may wonder, 'How can I leave it all behind if I am just coming back to it? How can I make a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-foster/you-may-wonder-how-can-i-leave-it-all-behind-if-i-am-just-coming-back/) [Stephen Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-foster/) ## More by Helen Suzman > [That's my life in there. It would never be possible today to ask as many questions as I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-suzman/that-s-my-life-in-there-it-would-never-be-possible-today-to-ask-as/) [Helen Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-suzman/) > [Tool of Communist agitators... it's really a joke, isn't it? Because, quite clearly, we are a party of real moderates. It just shows how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-suzman/tool-of-communist-agitators-it-s-really-a-joke-isn-t-it-because-quite/) [Helen Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-suzman/) > [My own electorate, which I represented for 36 years as an anti-apartheid politician, had a considerable number of Jewish voters supporting me throughout my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-suzman/my-own-electorate-which-i-represented-for-36-years-as-an-anti/) [Helen Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-suzman/) > [All these stories are grist to the mill of the government because they build up a very useful war psychosis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-suzman/all-these-stories-are-grist-to-the-mill-of-the-government-because/) [Helen Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-suzman/) > [Sometimes I manage to get conditions alleviated, often not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-suzman/sometimes-i-manage-to-get-conditions-alleviated-often-not/) [Helen Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-suzman/) > [It is the answers, not the questions, that are embarrassing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-suzman/it-is-the-answers-not-the-questions-that-are-embarrassing/) [Helen Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-suzman/) > [I don't think we will ever go the way of Zimbabwe, but people are concerned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-suzman/i-don-t-think-we-will-ever-go-the-way-of-zimbabwe-but-people-are/) [Helen Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-suzman/) > [When you teach, you learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-suzman/when-you-teach-you-learn/) [Helen Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-suzman/) > [Debate is almost non-existent and no one is apparently accountable to anybody apart from their political party bosses. It is bad news for democracy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-suzman/debate-is-almost-non-existent-and-no-one-is-apparently-accountable-to/) [Helen Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-suzman/) > [Perhaps the one comforting thought I got out of this whole disgusting affair was that over the years when the government was tapping my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-suzman/perhaps-the-one-comforting-thought-i-got-out-of-this-whole-disgusting/) [Helen Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-suzman/) > [It is not my questions that embarrass South Africa – it is your answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-suzman/it-is-not-my-questions-that-embarrass-south-africa-it-is-your-answers/) [Helen Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-suzman/) > [The immediate present belongs to the extremists, but the future belongs to the moderates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-suzman/the-immediate-present-belongs-to-the-extremists-but-the-future/) [Helen Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-suzman/) > [It is increasingly hard for young white people to find jobs, and I can understand why white parents are worried about the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-suzman/it-is-increasingly-hard-for-young-white-people-to-find-jobs-and-i-can/) [Helen Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-suzman/) > [This country is armed to the teeth, and none of these African states could begin to attack South Africa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-suzman/this-country-is-armed-to-the-teeth-and-none-of-these-african-states/) [Helen Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-suzman/) > [I am provocative, and I admit this. It isn't as if I'm only on the receiving end, a poor, frail little creature. I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-suzman/i-am-provocative-and-i-admit-this-it-isn-t-as-if-i-m-only-on-the/) [Helen Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-suzman/) [Explore all 24 Helen Suzman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-suzman/) ## More Criticisms quotes > [Authors of published papers and editors of scientific journals can, unfortunately, be slow to come to terms with criticism, and it's good that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-gelman/authors-of-published-papers-and-editors-of-scientific-journals-can/) Andrew Gelman > [The trouble is that when you read criticisms about the other films that I've made you get the impression that they're all about themes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-haneke/the-trouble-is-that-when-you-read-criticisms-about-the-other-films/) [Michael Haneke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-haneke/) > [“Other people's criticisms about what you are capable of, have nothing to do with you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julieanne-o-conner/other-people-s-criticisms-about-what-you-are-capable-of-have-nothing/) [Julieanne O'Conner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julieanne-o-conner/) > [I think there were two criticisms you can make of Donald Trump's involvement in the Health Care Bill. First of all, there were times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barney-frank/i-think-there-were-two-criticisms-you-can-make-of-donald-trump-s/) [Barney Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barney-frank/) > [Anyone who tries to diss me in comparison to Queen, it just renders all their criticisms completely futile. That's quite pleasurable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mika/anyone-who-tries-to-diss-me-in-comparison-to-queen-it-just-renders/) [Mika](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mika/) > [Women get scrutinized all the time for the way they look. So if I can learn to deal with that, then I do believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mila-kunis/women-get-scrutinized-all-the-time-for-the-way-they-look-so-if-i-can/) [Mila Kunis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mila-kunis/) > [If you want criticisms, read the dissenting opinions of the Court. That will give you criticisms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/if-you-want-criticisms-read-the-dissenting-opinions-of-the-court-that/) [William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/) > [Book critics or theatre critics can be derisively negative and gain delighted praise for the trenchant with of their review. But in criticisms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/book-critics-or-theatre-critics-can-be-derisively-negative-and-gain/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [The core community is passionate about quality and getting it right. If you want to read some good criticisms of Wikipedia, probably the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-wales/the-core-community-is-passionate-about-quality-and-getting-it-right/) [Jimmy Wales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-wales/) > [The criticisms of your fucking friends, make them your pleasure in insulting them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-criticisms-of-your-fucking-friends-make-them-your-pleasure-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Don’t believe the negative criticisms. You are capable beyond measure”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/don-t-believe-the-negative-criticisms-you-are-capable-beyond-measure/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [If only your desire to help was as strong as your criticisms. Less talk, more walk the walk. Help someone up, don't push them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-only-your-desire-to-help-was-as-strong-as-your-criticisms-less/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've always heard people's criticisms twice as loudly as their praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-raimi/i-ve-always-heard-people-s-criticisms-twice-as-loudly-as-their-praise/) [Sam Raimi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-raimi/) > [I mean, the part you don't like, I mean, that's the only part. That's the part no one likes, and that is the criticisms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-bush/i-mean-the-part-you-don-t-like-i-mean-that-s-the-only-part-that-s-the/) [Laura Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-bush/) > [I understand and accept criticisms of my work, provided they are done with professional criteria and arguments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-calatrava/i-understand-and-accept-criticisms-of-my-work-provided-they-are-done/) [Santiago Calatrava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-calatrava/) Browse all 81 Criticisms quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For all my criticisms of the current system, it doesn't mean that I would like to return to the old one.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Helen Suzman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-suzman/for-all-my-criticisms-of-the-current-system-it-doesn-t-mean-that-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Criticisms" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-suzman/for-all-my-criticisms-of-the-current-system-it-doesn-t-mean-that-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e6/helen-suzman-24413_criticisms_for-all-my-criticisms-of-the-current-sys_2269529.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e6/helen-suzman-24413_criticisms_for-all-my-criticisms-of-the-current-sys_2269529.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6e6/helen-suzman-24413_criticisms_for-all-my-criticisms-of-the-current-sys_2269529.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For all my criticisms of the current system, it doesn't mean that I would like to return to the old one.” — Helen Suzman", "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": "Helen Suzman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-suzman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "For all my criticisms of the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-suzman/for-all-my-criticisms-of-the-current-system-it-doesn-t-mean-that-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-suzman/for-all-my-criticisms-of-the-current-system-it-doesn-t-mean-that-i/#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 } } ] } ```