--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In 2011, when I established the activist…" description: "\"In 2011, when I established the activist group Scholarism, I could have not imagined that a year later, 100,000 people would take to the street and occ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a37/joshua-wong-4879_education_in-2011-when-i-established-the-activist_1993544.jpg" --- # In 2011, when I established the activist group Scholarism… ![“In 2011, when I established the activist group Scholarism, I could have not imagined that a year later, 100,000 people would take to the street and occupy for a week to urge the government to withdraw the national education curriculum.” quote by Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a37/joshua-wong-4879_education_in-2011-when-i-established-the-activist_1993544.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a37/joshua-wong-4879_education_in-2011-when-i-established-the-activist_1993544.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a37/joshua-wong-4879_education_in-2011-when-i-established-the-activist_1993544.jpg) > “In 2011, when I established the activist group Scholarism, I could have not imagined that a year later, 100,000 people would take to the street and occupy for a week to urge the government to withdraw the national education curriculum.” [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He could not foresee massive mobilization; activism can rapidly scale beyond expectations. **In simple terms:** Activism can explode unexpectedly. Key Takeaway Prepare for rapid growth. Themes activism mobilization education Mood determined hopeful Type inspirational strategic When to use this quote - protest organization - digital campaigning Key Concepts political science social movements Questions to Reflect On - How will you sustain momentum? - What structures support large‑scale activism? A Different Perspective Unforeseen scale can strain resources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [000 People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/000-people/) [Activist Group](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activist-group-1294785/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Group Scholarism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/group-scholarism-3469028/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Scholarism Imagined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scholarism-imagined-3469027/) [Street](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/street/) [Street Occupy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/street-occupy-3443332/) ## Related quotes > [I locate a great deal of the power of Occupy Wall Street in the name itself, 'Occupy Wall Street,' or '#OccupyWallStreet.' It works because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-spiotta/i-locate-a-great-deal-of-the-power-of-occupy-wall-street-in-the-name/) [Dana Spiotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-spiotta/) > [ACORN, you may recall, is the left-wing activist group with longtime ties to community organizer-turned-President Barack Obama. The nonprofit, which now takes in 40…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-malkin/acorn-you-may-recall-is-the-left-wing-activist-group-with-longtime/) [Michelle Malkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-malkin/) > [It's really important to me to promote worthy causes. But not in a heavy, obligatory, responsibility way. I really admired that as a kid,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-carlile/it-s-really-important-to-me-to-promote-worthy-causes-but-not-in-a/) [Brandi Carlile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-carlile/) > [Walking out in front of 5,000 people is a big old thing. I have to be ready, and I have to give it absolutely everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhod-gilbert/walking-out-in-front-of-5-000-people-is-a-big-old-thing-i-have-to-be/) [Rhod Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhod-gilbert/) > [Every show I play, 10 or 10,000 people, I want it to be the same one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yungblud/every-show-i-play-10-or-10-000-people-i-want-it-to-be-the-same-one/) [Yungblud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yungblud/) > [It's funny. Some people remember that a lot more than I do. I remember certain parts of it, and if everybody who mentioned that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlton-fisk/it-s-funny-some-people-remember-that-a-lot-more-than-i-do-i-remember/) [Carlton Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlton-fisk/) > [This is going to kill me. I am the world's greatest person that does not want to let people into the country. And now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/this-is-going-to-kill-me-i-am-the-world-s-greatest-person-that-does/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [If you can't motivate yourself to get up and play in front of 30,000-40,000 people, then you're not in the right job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonny-bairstow/if-you-can-t-motivate-yourself-to-get-up-and-play-in-front-of-30-000/) [Jonny Bairstow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonny-bairstow/) > [I played to 20,000 people every day because people were walking on 5th Ave going to and from their jobs, and my sounds were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlemagne-palestine/i-played-to-20-000-people-every-day-because-people-were-walking-on/) [Charlemagne Palestine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlemagne-palestine/) > [When you're in high school and you're living in that world, it's just kind of a microcosm. I remember how heightened everything was. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-sennott/when-you-re-in-high-school-and-you-re-living-in-that-world-it-s-just/) [Rachel Sennott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-sennott/) > [Coming from a town of 30,000 people on the Mississippi River, having 'Queer Eye' in 2003 through 2007 when I was in high school was really important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-van-ness/coming-from-a-town-of-30-000-people-on-the-mississippi-river-having/) [Jonathan Van Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-van-ness/) > [It doesn't matter how much more you have in your bank; if 50,000 people show up to your opponents' rallies and you only have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shailene-woodley/it-doesn-t-matter-how-much-more-you-have-in-your-bank-if-50-000/) [Shailene Woodley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shailene-woodley/) > [A dance performance is rather like going out into a battlefield. You have to hold the attention of as many as five to 10,000…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yamini-krishnamurthy/a-dance-performance-is-rather-like-going-out-into-a-battlefield-you/) [Yamini Krishnamurthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yamini-krishnamurthy/) > [We played an old U-Boat factory in East Germany once and that was massive - 35,000 people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-flint/we-played-an-old-u-boat-factory-in-east-germany-once-and-that-was/) [Keith Flint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-flint/) > [My first big show was with Tim McGraw and Mark Chesnutt, and that was overwhelming. There was probably 25,000 people there. I was nervous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ann-womack/my-first-big-show-was-with-tim-mcgraw-and-mark-chesnutt-and-that-was/) [Lee Ann Womack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ann-womack/) ## More by Joshua Wong > [I'm optimistic Hong Kong will achieve universal suffrage - no matter the attitude of Beijing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-m-optimistic-hong-kong-will-achieve-universal-suffrage-no-matter/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [From horrific incidents of police brutality and complicity in indiscriminate attacks by triads on citizens to arbitrary mass arrests and the banning of demonstrations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/from-horrific-incidents-of-police-brutality-and-complicity-in/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [I think that compared to other politicians who have been put in jail in the past, compared to the human-rights activists in history who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-think-that-compared-to-other-politicians-who-have-been-put-in-jail/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [Historically, Hong Kong has served as an important bridge between China and the world. Our freedoms, stability and the rule of law have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/historically-hong-kong-has-served-as-an-important-bridge-between/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [The fight for democracy is a long-term battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/the-fight-for-democracy-is-a-long-term-battle/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [In 2014, we were opposing President Xi Jinping. Five years later, we are opposing Emperor Xi Jinping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/in-2014-we-were-opposing-president-xi-jinping-five-years-later-we-are/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [We do not want to see a Hong Kong that enjoys freedoms on paper, but whose autonomous status conceals the workings of a totalitarian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/we-do-not-want-to-see-a-hong-kong-that-enjoys-freedoms-on-paper-but/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [I hope Hong Kong isn't just named Hong Kong but it can still be the Hong Kong we desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-hope-hong-kong-isn-t-just-named-hong-kong-but-it-can-still-be-the/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [The education system of Hong Kong has often been slammed for marginalising a lot of people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/the-education-system-of-hong-kong-has-often-been-slammed-for/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [Our bodies are held captive, but our pursuit of freedom cannot be contained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/our-bodies-are-held-captive-but-our-pursuit-of-freedom-cannot-be/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [Hong Kongers deserve universal suffrage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/hong-kongers-deserve-universal-suffrage/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [Having grown up under Chinese rule, I don't have any memory of colonial Hong Kong or feel any attachment to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/having-grown-up-under-chinese-rule-i-don-t-have-any-memory-of/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [I do not lead the Hong Kong protests, because no one person leads the protests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-do-not-lead-the-hong-kong-protests-because-no-one-person-leads-the/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [I don't know if I'm going to jail for three weeks, three months, or three years, but I think what I've done to motivate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-don-t-know-if-i-m-going-to-jail-for-three-weeks-three-months-or/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [We desire and thirst for freedom, democracy and the rule of law just like anyone else. And we are prepared to fight tooth and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/we-desire-and-thirst-for-freedom-democracy-and-the-rule-of-law-just/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) [Explore all 105 Joshua Wong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) ## More Education quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) [Ted Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-martinez/) > [“In school you are taught to obey and not to think straight for your own good. 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But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [“What's the best thing about being in college? Good teachers. They inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/what-s-the-best-thing-about-being-in-college-good-teachers-they/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“If one has not a head of steel it will burst; if he has not within it a brain of liquid quicksilver, he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ioannes-amos-commenius/if-one-has-not-a-head-of-steel-it-will-burst-if-he-has-not-within-it/) [Ioannes Amos Commenius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ioannes-amos-commenius/) > [“let us not teach / what we have learned badly / and not profited by”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-d-hilda-doolittle/let-us-not-teach-what-we-have-learned-badly-and-not-profited-by/) [H.D. (Hilda Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-d-hilda-doolittle/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [According to Plato, we don't learn anything. Our soul has lived so many lives that we know everything. Teachers and education can only remind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/according-to-plato-we-don-t-learn-anything-our-soul-has-lived-so-many/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“I only began to enjoy studying after I got through the educational system and became a so-called member of society. 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