--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ANY REAL CHANGE IMPLIES THE breakup of…" description: "\"“ANY REAL CHANGE IMPLIES THE breakup of the world as one has always known it, the loss of all that gave one an identity, the end of safety. And at such..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b9/james-baldwin-995_change_any-real-change-implies-the-breakup-of-t_2752030.jpg" --- # ANY REAL CHANGE IMPLIES THE breakup of the world as one… ![“ANY REAL CHANGE IMPLIES THE breakup of the world as one has always known it, the loss of all that gave one an identity, the end of safety. And at such a moment, unable to see and not daring to imagine what the future will now bring forth, one clings to what one knew, or thought one knew; to what…” quote by James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b9/james-baldwin-995_change_any-real-change-implies-the-breakup-of-t_2752030.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b9/james-baldwin-995_change_any-real-change-implies-the-breakup-of-t_2752030.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b9/james-baldwin-995_change_any-real-change-implies-the-breakup-of-t_2752030.jpg) > ““ANY REAL CHANGE IMPLIES THE breakup of the world as one has always known it, the loss of all that gave one an identity, the end of safety. And at such a moment, unable to see and not daring to imagine what the future will now bring forth, one clings to what one knew, or thought one knew; to what one possessed or dreamed that one possessed. Yet, it is only when a man is able, without bitterness or self-pity, to surrender a dream he has long cherished or a privilege he has long possessed that he is set free—he has set himself free—for higher dreams, for greater privileges. All men have gone through this, go through it, each according to his degree, throughout their lives. It is one of the irreducible facts of life. And remembering this, especially since I am a Negro, affords me almost my only means of understanding what is happening in the minds and hearts of white Southerners today.”” [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Change forces loss of identity and safety, but surrendering old dreams frees one for higher aspirations. **In simple terms:** Transformation requires letting go of old selves. Key Takeaway Release past attachments for growth. Themes identity change freedom Mood reflective determined Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal crises - social movements - career transitions - cultural shifts Key Concepts existentialism psychology social critique Questions to Reflect On - What old identity are you clinging to? - How can surrender lead to new possibilities? A Different Perspective Fear of loss can stall progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Facts of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts-of-life/) [Real change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-change/) [Surrender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surrender/) ## Related quotes > [Any real change implies the breakup of the world as one has always known it, the loss of all that gave one an identity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/any-real-change-implies-the-breakup-of-the-world-as-one-has-always/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [“Yet it is only when one is able, without bitterness or self-pity, to surrender a dream one has long cherished, or a privilege one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/yet-it-is-only-when-one-is-able-without-bitterness-or-self-pity-to/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [Any real change implies the breakup of the world as one has always known it, the loss of all that gave one an identity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-baldwin/any-real-change-implies-the-breakup-of-the-world-as-one-has-always-3/) [James A. Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-baldwin/) > [Surrender the dream and the truth will be revealed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-jacobson/surrender-the-dream-and-the-truth-will-be-revealed/) [Leonard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-jacobson/) > [“When God requires us to surrender one dream, it’s because He wants to hand us a bigger and better one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-hale/when-god-requires-us-to-surrender-one-dream-it-s-because-he-wants-to/) [Mandy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-hale/) > [“It is at those times that we can measure ourselves and confront a most startling moment. Life may not be what we thought it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-mosak/it-is-at-those-times-that-we-can-measure-ourselves-and-confront-a/) Harold Mosak > [I knew wherever I was that you thought of me, and if I got in a tight place you would come-if alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/i-knew-wherever-i-was-that-you-thought-of-me-and-if-i-got-in-a-tight/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) > [“I had never really stopped thinking of how the smartest person I knew had, after much thought, decided that life was not worth it—that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-lacey/i-had-never-really-stopped-thinking-of-how-the-smartest-person-i-knew/) [Catherine Lacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-lacey/) > [“I knew they were thought of as fools. I also knew they were clever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-iossel/i-knew-they-were-thought-of-as-fools-i-also-knew-they-were-clever/) [Mikhail Iossel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-iossel/) > [I feel like I've always been pretty grounded in knowing who I am. After coming out... I was even more settled in my own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-flip/i-feel-like-i-ve-always-been-pretty-grounded-in-knowing-who-i-am/) [G Flip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-flip/) > [“asylum, I never knew if they thought locking me up would”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/asylum-i-never-knew-if-they-thought-locking-me-up-would/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“Yes, of course,” she replied with a shrug. “For the first year I knew you, perhaps two—I thought you were put on this earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-dare/yes-of-course-she-replied-with-a-shrug-for-the-first-year-i-knew-you/) [tessa dare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-dare/) > [15 things you probably never knew or thought about… 1. At least five people in this world love you so much they would die…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/15-things-you-probably-never-knew-or-thought-about-1-at-least-five/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“far as I knew. Never thought one way or the other when Mama used to take her “naps” in the middle of Christmas or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-wells/far-as-i-knew-never-thought-one-way-or-the-other-when-mama-used-to/) [Rebecca Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-wells/) > [“Yes, yes, I know, Harry; but to think how little we knew, or thought, or felt — going on in our own way when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mary-yonge/yes-yes-i-know-harry-but-to-think-how-little-we-knew-or-thought-or/) [Charlotte Mary Yonge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-mary-yonge/) ## More by James Baldwin > [“In any case, white people, who had robbed black people of their liberty and who profited by this theft every hour that they lived,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/in-any-case-white-people-who-had-robbed-black-people-of-their-liberty/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [“The South is very beautiful but its beauty makes one sad because the lives that people live, and have lived here, are so ugly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/the-south-is-very-beautiful-but-its-beauty-makes-one-sad-because-the/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [“All cultures have, furthermore, an economic, social, and political base, and no culture can continue to live if its political destiny is not in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/all-cultures-have-furthermore-an-economic-social-and-political-base/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [“I remembered that life in that room seemed to be occuring beneath the sea, time flowed past indiffrently above us, hours and days had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/i-remembered-that-life-in-that-room-seemed-to-be-occuring-beneath-the/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [“No. It would help if I were able to feel guilty.But the end of innocence is also the end of guilt”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/no-it-would-help-if-i-were-able-to-feel-guilty-but-the-end-of/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [“Perhaps now, though, he had hit bottom. One thing about the bottom, he told himself, you can't fall any further. He tried to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/perhaps-now-though-he-had-hit-bottom-one-thing-about-the-bottom-he/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [“What kind of friendship have you had? Or for that matter...what kind of love affairs?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/what-kind-of-friendship-have-you-had-or-for-that-matter-what-kind-of/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [“For these are all our children, we will all profit by or pay for what they become.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/for-these-are-all-our-children-we-will-all-profit-by-or-pay-for-what/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [“Every society is really governed by hidden laws, by unspoken but profound assumptions on the part of the people, and ours is no exception.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/every-society-is-really-governed-by-hidden-laws-by-unspoken-but/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [“In those days my mother was given to the exasperating and mysterious habit of having babies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/in-those-days-my-mother-was-given-to-the-exasperating-and-mysterious/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [“He was suggesting that all Negroes were held in a state of supreme tension between the difficult, dangerous relationship in which they stood to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/he-was-suggesting-that-all-negroes-were-held-in-a-state-of-supreme/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [“In the beginning—and neither can this be overstated—a Negro just cannot believe that white people are treating him as they do; he does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/in-the-beginning-and-neither-can-this-be-overstated-a-negro-just/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [“If the world wasn't so full of dead folks maybe those of us that's trying to live wouldn't have to suffer so bad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/if-the-world-wasn-t-so-full-of-dead-folks-maybe-those-of-us-that-s/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [“I am very much concerned that American Negroes achieve their freedom here in the United States. But I am also concerned for their dignity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/i-am-very-much-concerned-that-american-negroes-achieve-their-freedom/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [“The paradox—and a fearful paradox it is—is that the American Negro can have no future anywhere, on any continent, as long as he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/the-paradox-and-a-fearful-paradox-it-is-is-that-the-american-negro/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) [Explore all 312 James Baldwin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…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 > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“ANY REAL CHANGE IMPLIES THE breakup of the world as one has always known it, the loss of all that gave one an identity, the end of safety. And at such a moment, unable to see and not daring to imagine what the future will now bring forth, one clings to what one knew, or thought one knew; to what one possessed or dreamed that one possessed. Yet, it is only when a man is able, without bitterness or self-pity, to surrender a dream he has long cherished or a privilege he has long possessed that he is set free—he has set himself free—for higher dreams, for greater privileges. All men have gone through this, go through it, each according to his degree, throughout their lives. It is one of the irreducible facts of life. And remembering this, especially since I am a Negro, affords me almost my only means of understanding what is happening in the minds and hearts of white Southerners today.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Baldwin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/any-real-change-implies-the-breakup-of-the-world-as-one-has-always-4/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/any-real-change-implies-the-breakup-of-the-world-as-one-has-always-4/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b9/james-baldwin-995_change_any-real-change-implies-the-breakup-of-t_2752030.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b9/james-baldwin-995_change_any-real-change-implies-the-breakup-of-t_2752030.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b9/james-baldwin-995_change_any-real-change-implies-the-breakup-of-t_2752030.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“ANY REAL CHANGE IMPLIES THE breakup of the world as one has always known it, the loss of all that gave one…” — James Baldwin", "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": "James Baldwin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“ANY REAL CHANGE IMPLIES THE breakup...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/any-real-change-implies-the-breakup-of-the-world-as-one-has-always-4/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/any-real-change-implies-the-breakup-of-the-world-as-one-has-always-4/#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 } } ] } ```