--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Has there ever been a society which has…" description: "\"“Has there ever been a society which has died of dissent? Several have died of conformity in our lifetime.” Jacob Bronowski in Science and Human Values..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e0/jacob-bronowski-3073_dissent_has-there-ever-been-a-society-which-has_602887.png" --- # Has there ever been a society which has died of dissent?… ![“Has there ever been a society which has died of dissent? Several have died of conformity in our lifetime.” Jacob Bronowski in Science and Human Values” quote by Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e0/jacob-bronowski-3073_dissent_has-there-ever-been-a-society-which-has_602887.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e0/jacob-bronowski-3073_dissent_has-there-ever-been-a-society-which-has_602887.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e0/jacob-bronowski-3073_dissent_has-there-ever-been-a-society-which-has_602887.png) > ““Has there ever been a society which has died of dissent? Several have died of conformity in our lifetime.” Jacob Bronowski in Science and Human Values”” [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Societies can be destroyed by forced conformity, while dissent rarely leads to a society’s demise. **In simple terms:** Conformity can kill societies; dissent rarely does. Key Takeaway Encourage critical thinking and protect dissenting voices. Themes society conformity dissent history Mood thoughtful concerned Type philosophical historical When to use this quote - education curricula - corporate culture - political policy - media regulation Key Concepts social pressure intellectual freedom cultural resilience Questions to Reflect On - What mechanisms protect dissent in your community? - How does conformity shape your decisions? A Different Perspective Dissent can be suppressed, making its impact hard to see. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conformity Lifetime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conformity-lifetime-1747135/) [Died Conformity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/died-conformity-1747132/) [Died Dissent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/died-dissent-1747134/) [Dissent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissent/) [Dissent Died](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissent-died-1747131/) [Human values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-values/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Society Died](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society-died-1747133/) [Truth-telling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-telling/) ## Related quotes > [Has there ever been a society which has died of dissent? Several have died of conformity in our lifetime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/has-there-ever-been-a-society-which-has-died-of-dissent-several-have-2/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [There is no doubt fiction makes a better job of the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-no-doubt-fiction-makes-a-better-job-of-the-truth/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I dispute the point that nuclear energy is 'clean' and 'cost-effective'. As I recall, when we first harnessed nuclear power it was to drop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-a-bucchianeri/i-dispute-the-point-that-nuclear-energy-is-clean-and-cost-effective/) [E.A. Bucchianeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-a-bucchianeri/) > [“The Truth Is That I Was Recognized For Stubbornness And Not Goodness. Even, Though I Was Very Intelligent And Sent To School By A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baba-tunde-ojo-olubiyo/the-truth-is-that-i-was-recognized-for-stubbornness-and-not-goodness/) [Baba Tunde Ojo-Olubiyo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baba-tunde-ojo-olubiyo/) > [“Do What?' 'Lie,' he said. 'Why do you fabricate these outlandish stories?' 'Well,' I wanted to say, 'there are those of us who create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bradley/do-what-lie-he-said-why-do-you-fabricate-these-outlandish-stories/) [Alan Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bradley/) > [“Is not this simpler? Is this not your natural state? It’s the unspoken truth of humanity that you crave subjugation. The bright lure of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loki-of-asgard/is-not-this-simpler-is-this-not-your-natural-state-it-s-the-unspoken/) [Loki of Asgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loki-of-asgard/) > [“What is worse than doing evil, is being evil” (Ethics, p.67). To lie is wrong, but what is worse than the lie is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-is-worse-than-doing-evil-is-being-evil-ethics-p-67-to-lie-is/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“...cannot possibly know who you are, you imagine that she is suspicious of all young people-as a matter of principle- and therefore what she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/cannot-possibly-know-who-you-are-you-imagine-that-she-is-suspicious/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [“Just like you silly bums, I have a personal sky god. I bow to him, as you do to your airy-fairy sod. He prefers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fakeer-ishavardas/just-like-you-silly-bums-i-have-a-personal-sky-god-i-bow-to-him-as/) [Fakeer Ishavardas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fakeer-ishavardas/) > [“In my opinion, neither way is easy. If I'm going to struggle between artist and a normal 9 to 5 job. I might as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mcmillan/in-my-opinion-neither-way-is-easy-if-i-m-going-to-struggle-between/) [Erin McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mcmillan/) > [“Honestly, Bessie? People don't care about anyone but themselves. They don't notice anything. They are never looking at what's interesting. They're always looking at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-wilson/honestly-bessie-people-don-t-care-about-anyone-but-themselves-they/) [Kevin Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-wilson/) > [“People would rather live in a community with unreasonable claims, than face loneliness with their truth”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/people-would-rather-live-in-a-community-with-unreasonable-claims-than/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [“I am free! for I have in me the strength of truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/i-am-free-for-i-have-in-me-the-strength-of-truth/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“Women have been driven mad, "gaslighted," for centuries by the refutation of our experience and our instincts in a culture which validates only male…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/women-have-been-driven-mad-gaslighted-for-centuries-by-the-refutation/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [“Though no one can backtrack and create a brand new start, Everyone is capable of taking their life in a brand new direction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/though-no-one-can-backtrack-and-create-a-brand-new-start-everyone-is/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) ## More by Jacob Bronowski > [“A man becomes creative, whether he is an artist or a scientist, when he finds a new unity in the variety of nature. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/a-man-becomes-creative-whether-he-is-an-artist-or-a-scientist-when-he/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [We are all shot through with enough motives to make a massacre, any day of the week that we want to give them their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/we-are-all-shot-through-with-enough-motives-to-make-a-massacre-any/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [A popular cliche in philosophy says that science is pure analysis or reductionism, like taking the rainbow to pieces; and art is pure synthesis,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/a-popular-cliche-in-philosophy-says-that-science-is-pure-analysis-or/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [The great poem and the deep theorem are new to every reader, and yet are his own experiences, because he himself recreates them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/the-great-poem-and-the-deep-theorem-are-new-to-every-reader-and-yet/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [“The Renaissance established the dignity of man. The Industrial Revolution established the unity of nature. That”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/the-renaissance-established-the-dignity-of-man-the-industrial/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [One original thought is worth the sum total of human knowledge, because it advances the sum total of human knowledge by that one original…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/one-original-thought-is-worth-the-sum-total-of-human-knowledge/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [The richness of human life is that we have many lives, we live the events that do not happen (and some that cannot) as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/the-richness-of-human-life-is-that-we-have-many-lives-we-live-the/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [Einstein was a man who could ask immensely simple questions. And what his work showed is that when the answers are simple too, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/einstein-was-a-man-who-could-ask-immensely-simple-questions-and-what/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [Revolutions are not made by fate but by men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/revolutions-are-not-made-by-fate-but-by-men/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [“I am infinitely saddened to find myself suddenly surrounded in the west by a sense of terrible loss of nerve, a retreat from knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/i-am-infinitely-saddened-to-find-myself-suddenly-surrounded-in-the/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [The most remarkable discovery ever made by scientists is science itself. The discovery must be compared in importance with the invention of cave-painting and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/the-most-remarkable-discovery-ever-made-by-scientists-is-science/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [There are three creative ideas which, each in its turn, have been central to science. They are the idea of order, the idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/there-are-three-creative-ideas-which-each-in-its-turn-have-been/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [It is important that students bring a certain rafamuffin, barefoot, irreverence to their studies; they are not here to worship what is known, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/it-is-important-that-students-bring-a-certain-rafamuffin-barefoot/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [The hand is the cutting edge of the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/the-hand-is-the-cutting-edge-of-the-mind/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) > [To me the most interesting thing about man is that he is an animal who practices art and science and in every known society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/to-me-the-most-interesting-thing-about-man-is-that-he-is-an-animal/) [Jacob Bronowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) [Explore all 140 Jacob Bronowski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/) ## More Dissent quotes > [Majority decisions tend to be made without engaging the systematic thought and critical thinking skills of the individuals in the group. Given the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/majority-decisions-tend-to-be-made-without-engaging-the-systematic/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you want to live a meaningfully better life, you're going to have to make the dangerous choice to dissent. A life lived meaningfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/if-you-want-to-live-a-meaningfully-better-life-you-re-going-to-have/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) > [Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/never-be-afraid-to-raise-your-voice-for-honesty-and-truth-and/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [I find myself frequently placed where I dare give neither assent nor dissent to propositions that are submitted to me; for there is danger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/i-find-myself-frequently-placed-where-i-dare-give-neither-assent-nor/) [Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/) > [The original crime of niggers and lesbians is that they prefer themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/the-original-crime-of-niggers-and-lesbians-is-that-they-prefer/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [It is dissent from government policies which defines the true Patriot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/it-is-dissent-from-government-policies-which-defines-the-true-patriot/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [In America, you can segregate the people, but the problems will travel. From slavery to equal rights, from state suppression of dissent to crime,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/june-jordan/in-america-you-can-segregate-the-people-but-the-problems-will-travel/) [June Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/june-jordan/) > [America was born of revolt, flourished in dissent, became great through experimentation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-steele-commager/america-was-born-of-revolt-flourished-in-dissent-became-great-through/) [Henry Steele Commager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-steele-commager/) > [“I am aware that many object to the severity of my language; but is there not cause for severity? I will be as harsh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lloyd-garrison/i-am-aware-that-many-object-to-the-severity-of-my-language-but-is/) [William Lloyd Garrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lloyd-garrison/) > [In religion, it is not the sycophants or those who cling most faithfully to the status quo who are ultimately praised. It is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/in-religion-it-is-not-the-sycophants-or-those-who-cling-most/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [“Protection, therefore, against tyranny of the magistrate is not enough: there needs protection also against the tyranny of the prevailing opinion and feeling; against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/protection-therefore-against-tyranny-of-the-magistrate-is-not-enough/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [The intolerant man will not rely on persuasion, or on the worth of the idea. He would deny to others the very freedom of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kennedy/the-intolerant-man-will-not-rely-on-persuasion-or-on-the-worth-of-the/) [Robert Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kennedy/) > [“That there must be heresies is true, not onely in our Church, but also in any other; even in Doctrines hereticall there will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/that-there-must-be-heresies-is-true-not-onely-in-our-church-but-also/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) > [In sum, the Court's conclusion that a constitutionally adequate recount is impractical is a prophecy the Court's own judgment will not allow to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/in-sum-the-court-s-conclusion-that-a-constitutionally-adequate/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [Lonely dissent doesn't feel like going to school dressed in black. It feels like going to school wearing a clown suit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliezer-yudkowsky/lonely-dissent-doesn-t-feel-like-going-to-school-dressed-in-black-it/) [Eliezer Yudkowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliezer-yudkowsky/) [Browse all 440 Dissent quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dissent/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Has there ever been a society which has died of dissent? Several have died of conformity in our lifetime.” Jacob Bronowski in Science and Human Values”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jacob Bronowski" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/has-there-ever-been-a-society-which-has-died-of-dissent-several-have/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dissent" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/has-there-ever-been-a-society-which-has-died-of-dissent-several-have/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e0/jacob-bronowski-3073_dissent_has-there-ever-been-a-society-which-has_602887.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e0/jacob-bronowski-3073_dissent_has-there-ever-been-a-society-which-has_602887.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e0/jacob-bronowski-3073_dissent_has-there-ever-been-a-society-which-has_602887.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Has there ever been a society which has died of dissent? Several have died of conformity in our lifetime.”…” — Jacob Bronowski", "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": "Jacob Bronowski", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bronowski/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Has there ever been a society...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/has-there-ever-been-a-society-which-has-died-of-dissent-several-have/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bronowski/has-there-ever-been-a-society-which-has-died-of-dissent-several-have/#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 } } ] } ```