--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We all know that each generation has its…" description: "\"We all know that each generation has its own test, the contemporaneous and current standard by which alone it can adequately judge of its own moral ach..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08b/jane-addams-6111_achievement_we-all-know-that-each-generation-has-its_2691168.png" --- # We all know that each generation has its own test, the… ![“We all know that each generation has its own test, the contemporaneous and current standard by which alone it can adequately judge of its own moral achievements, and that it may not legitimately use a previous and less vigorous test. The advanced test must indeed include that which has already…” quote by Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08b/jane-addams-6111_achievement_we-all-know-that-each-generation-has-its_2691168.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08b/jane-addams-6111_achievement_we-all-know-that-each-generation-has-its_2691168.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08b/jane-addams-6111_achievement_we-all-know-that-each-generation-has-its_2691168.png) > “We all know that each generation has its own test, the contemporaneous and current standard by which alone it can adequately judge of its own moral achievements, and that it may not legitimately use a previous and less vigorous test. The advanced test must indeed include that which has already been attained; but if it includes no more, we shall fail to go forward, thinking complacently that we have "arrived" when in reality we have not yet started.” [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Each generation must judge itself by its own standards, not by outdated ones, while still building on past achievements to avoid complacency. **In simple terms:** Judge by today’s standards, but keep building on past progress. Key Takeaway Use current values to guide progress, not past benchmarks. Themes progress ethics generational change self‑assessment complacency Mood reflective critical inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - policy making - education reform - community activism - personal growth Key Concepts moral philosophy historical context social evolution Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance respect for tradition with the need for new standards? - What signs show we are becoming complacent? A Different Perspective Relying solely on past standards can stall innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achievement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievement/) [Forward thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forward-thinking/) [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Tests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tests/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“Generative testing is an approach to testing software that was made popular by the QuickCheck library. 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Because unexpected changes are most difficult to handle when we don't have a backup.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/have-a-plan-b-and-maybe-even-a-plan-c-because-unexpected-changes-are/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [I think sometimes Richmond, especially the House of Delegates, thinks too small... Richmond is not doing what needs to be done, forward thinking, big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mcauliffe/i-think-sometimes-richmond-especially-the-house-of-delegates-thinks/) [Terry McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mcauliffe/) ## More by Jane Addams > [The task of youth is not only its own salvation but the salvation of those against whom it rebels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/the-task-of-youth-is-not-only-its-own-salvation-but-the-salvation-of/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [“In his own way each man must struggle, lest the moral law become a far-off abstraction utterly separated from his active life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/in-his-own-way-each-man-must-struggle-lest-the-moral-law-become-a-far/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [Private beneficence is totally inadequate to deal with the vast numbers of the city's disinherited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/private-beneficence-is-totally-inadequate-to-deal-with-the-vast/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [That person is most cultivated who is able to put himself in the place of the greatest number of other persons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/that-person-is-most-cultivated-who-is-able-to-put-himself-in-the/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [As the acceptance of democracy brings a certain life-giving power, so it has its own sanctions and comforts. 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The trouble is that very often he is but obscurely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/if-the-underdog-were-always-right-one-might-quite-easily-try-to/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) > [Pliable human nature is relentlessly pressed upon by its physical environment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-addams/pliable-human-nature-is-relentlessly-pressed-upon-by-its-physical/) [Jane Addams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) [Explore all 100 Jane Addams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-addams/) ## More Achievement quotes > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [“If attempting to make the world a civilized one, makes you a bad woman in the eyes of the dumb patriarchal society, then, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/if-attempting-to-make-the-world-a-civilized-one-makes-you-a-bad-woman/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/) Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera > [Needs cause motivation. Deep-rooted desires for esteem, affection, belonging, achievement, self-actualization, power, and control motivate us to push for what we want and need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/needs-cause-motivation-deep-rooted-desires-for-esteem-affection/) [Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [It's tragic what America has become because there is a great segment of society that now resents luxury and success and achievement by others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-leach/it-s-tragic-what-america-has-become-because-there-is-a-great-segment/) [Robin Leach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-leach/) > [To preserve an unclouded capacity for the enjoyment of life is an unusual moral and psychological achievement. Contrary to popular belief, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/to-preserve-an-unclouded-capacity-for-the-enjoyment-of-life-is-an/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [Joel Lane documents a life we don’t quite live, in a city we can’t quite find: half glimpsed and half imagined, we know it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-brenchley/joel-lane-documents-a-life-we-don-t-quite-live-in-a-city-we-can-t/) Chaz Brenchley > [The main substantive achievement of neoliberalism has been to redistribute rather than to generate wealth and income.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harvey/the-main-substantive-achievement-of-neoliberalism-has-been-to/) [David Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harvey/) > [Every profession has an ideology and a drive for power that goes far beyond its achievements and it is the task of democracy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feyerabend/every-profession-has-an-ideology-and-a-drive-for-power-that-goes-far/) [Paul Feyerabend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feyerabend/) > [We have Internet now and people are not stupid. 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Solitude will transmit the message better than the murmurs of crowds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-roerich/cease-speaking-of-enemies-when-an-achievement-can-kindle-a-great/) Nicholas Roerich > [Every scene is a challenge. There are technical challenges, but often it's the simplest challenge where you feel a sense of achievement when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-deakins/every-scene-is-a-challenge-there-are-technical-challenges-but-often/) [Roger Deakins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-deakins/) [Browse all 3,867 Achievement quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievement/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We all know that each generation has its own test, the contemporaneous and current standard by which alone it can adequately judge of its own moral achievements, and that it may not legitimately use a previous and less vigorous test. 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