--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The notion that all peoples are on the…" description: "\"“The notion that all peoples are on the road to progress is as incorrect as that they are continuously declining and degenerating.”\" — Herman Bavinck" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/390/herman-bavinck-4872_growth_the-notion-that-all-peoples-are-on-the-r_2761912.png" --- # The notion that all peoples are on the road to progress is… ![“The notion that all peoples are on the road to progress is as incorrect as that they are continuously declining and degenerating.” quote by Herman Bavinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/390/herman-bavinck-4872_growth_the-notion-that-all-peoples-are-on-the-r_2761912.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/390/herman-bavinck-4872_growth_the-notion-that-all-peoples-are-on-the-r_2761912.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/390/herman-bavinck-4872_growth_the-notion-that-all-peoples-are-on-the-r_2761912.png) > ““The notion that all peoples are on the road to progress is as incorrect as that they are continuously declining and degenerating.”” [Herman Bavinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Assuming all peoples are either always improving or always declining is false. **In simple terms:** Progress and decline are not universal. Key Takeaway Recognize varied historical trajectories. Themes history philosophy progress Mood analytical critical Type philosophical academic When to use this quote - education - policy analysis - media commentary Key Concepts civilizational theory relativism Questions to Reflect On - Which societies challenge this binary? - How do we measure true progress? A Different Perspective Overgeneralization may ignore nuanced developments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) ## Related quotes > [A long war is degenerating - it ruins the mind and the soul and psyche of individuals and nations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/a-long-war-is-degenerating-it-ruins-the-mind-and-the-soul-and-psyche/) [Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/) > [In degenerating programmes, however, theories are fabricated only in order to accommodate known facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imre-lakatos/in-degenerating-programmes-however-theories-are-fabricated-only-in/) [Imre Lakatos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imre-lakatos/) > [It's the essence of a degenerating mind periodically, to lose all sense of continuous self, and therefore any regard for what others think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcewan/it-s-the-essence-of-a-degenerating-mind-periodically-to-lose-all/) [Ian Mcewan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcewan/) > [Man, or at least criminal man, has lost all enterprise and originality. As to my own little practice, it seems to be degenerating into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/man-or-at-least-criminal-man-has-lost-all-enterprise-and-originality/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“Muir wrote of time not in the wilderness: “I am degenerating into a machine for making money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-williams/muir-wrote-of-time-not-in-the-wilderness-i-am-degenerating-into-a/) [Florence Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-williams/) > [I am losing precious days. I am degenerating into a machine for making money. I am learning nothing in this trivial world of men.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/i-am-losing-precious-days-i-am-degenerating-into-a-machine-for-making/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [“We all want progress. But progress means getting nearer to the place where you want to be. And if you have taken a wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/we-all-want-progress-but-progress-means-getting-nearer-to-the-place/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [Reality is never more than a first step towards an unknown on the road to which one can never progress very far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/reality-is-never-more-than-a-first-step-towards-an-unknown-on-the/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [Prudence is sometimes stretched too far, until it blocks the road of progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tehyi-hsieh/prudence-is-sometimes-stretched-too-far-until-it-blocks-the-road-of/) [Tehyi Hsieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tehyi-hsieh/) > [So, I would appeal to my fellow Americans by saying, the only real road to progress for free people is through the process of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/so-i-would-appeal-to-my-fellow-americans-by-saying-the-only-real-road/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/we-all-want-progress-but-if-you-re-on-the-wrong-road-progress-means/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [The best road to progress is freedom's road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-best-road-to-progress-is-freedom-s-road/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Progress means getting nearer to the place you want to be. And if you have taken a wrong turn, then to go forward does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/progress-means-getting-nearer-to-the-place-you-want-to-be-and-if-you/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“The road to progress is often paved with blood and bullshit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyko/the-road-to-progress-is-often-paved-with-blood-and-bullshit/) John Boyko > [“…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 ## More by Herman Bavinck > [“Christ is not the founder of Christianity, nor the first confessor of it, nor the first Christian. But he is Christianity itself, in its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/christ-is-not-the-founder-of-christianity-nor-the-first-confessor-of/) [Herman Bavinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/) > [“Man can as little make propitiation for his sin as he can forgive it himself. But God can do both, atone and forgive; he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/man-can-as-little-make-propitiation-for-his-sin-as-he-can-forgive-it/) [Herman Bavinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/) > [Faith and repentance are as much benefits of the covenant of grace as justification . . . . faith and repentance themselves . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/faith-and-repentance-are-as-much-benefits-of-the-covenant-of-grace-as/) [Herman Bavinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/) > [“revelation always supposes that man is able to receive impressions or thoughts or inclinations from another than this phenomenal world, and in a way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/revelation-always-supposes-that-man-is-able-to-receive-impressions-or/) [Herman Bavinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/) > [“the plan of salvation in the Christian religion determines the method of Christian theology.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/the-plan-of-salvation-in-the-christian-religion-determines-the-method/) [Herman Bavinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/) > [“science, which can make known only the interrelations of things, but never their origin, essence and end, will never be able to satisfy the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/science-which-can-make-known-only-the-interrelations-of-things-but/) [Herman Bavinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/) > [“All culture, whatever significance it may have, just as all education, civilization, development, is absolutely powerless to renew the inner man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/all-culture-whatever-significance-it-may-have-just-as-all-education/) [Herman Bavinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/) > [“Without revelation religion sinks back into a pernicious superstition.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/without-revelation-religion-sinks-back-into-a-pernicious-superstition/) [Herman Bavinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/) > [“The truth and value of Christianity do not depend on the fruits which it has borne for civilization and culture: it has its own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/the-truth-and-value-of-christianity-do-not-depend-on-the-fruits-which/) [Herman Bavinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/) > [“If the essence of things is unknowable, the misery of man cannot be fathomed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/if-the-essence-of-things-is-unknowable-the-misery-of-man-cannot-be/) [Herman Bavinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/) > [“if sin bears an ethical character, then redemption is possible, and conversion is in principle the conquest of sin, the death of the old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/if-sin-bears-an-ethical-character-then-redemption-is-possible-and/) [Herman Bavinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/) > [“To separate between religion and metaphysics, however often it may have been attempted, is impossible”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/to-separate-between-religion-and-metaphysics-however-often-it-may/) [Herman Bavinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/) > [“205The segregation and the election of Israel served the sole purpose of maintaining, unmixed and unadulterated, continuing and perfecting, the original revelation, which threatened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/205the-segregation-and-the-election-of-israel-served-the-sole-purpose/) [Herman Bavinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/) > [“No psychology of religion can teach us what conversion is and ought to be; the Scriptures alone can tell us that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/no-psychology-of-religion-can-teach-us-what-conversion-is-and-ought/) [Herman Bavinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/) > [“Formerly men said that life was thought, but now we are told that life is will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/formerly-men-said-that-life-was-thought-but-now-we-are-told-that-life/) [Herman Bavinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/) [Explore all 105 Herman Bavinck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/) ## 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 > [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 > [“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 > [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 notion that all peoples are on the road to progress is as incorrect as that they are continuously declining and degenerating.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Herman Bavinck" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/the-notion-that-all-peoples-are-on-the-road-to-progress-is-as/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Growth" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/the-notion-that-all-peoples-are-on-the-road-to-progress-is-as/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/390/herman-bavinck-4872_growth_the-notion-that-all-peoples-are-on-the-r_2761912.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/390/herman-bavinck-4872_growth_the-notion-that-all-peoples-are-on-the-r_2761912.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/390/herman-bavinck-4872_growth_the-notion-that-all-peoples-are-on-the-r_2761912.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The notion that all peoples are on the road to progress is as incorrect as that they are continuously…” — Herman Bavinck", "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": "Herman Bavinck", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The notion that all peoples are...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/the-notion-that-all-peoples-are-on-the-road-to-progress-is-as/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/the-notion-that-all-peoples-are-on-the-road-to-progress-is-as/#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 } } ] } ```