Certainly Quote by Noam Chomsky
“Free institutions certainly exist, but a tradition of passivity and conformism restricts their use - a cynic might say that this is why they continue to exist.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Public lecture on democracy, 2015
Institutions exist, but passive conformity limits their effectiveness; active engagement is needed.
In simple terms: Passive people weaken institutions.
Key Takeaway
Engage actively in civic life.
Themes
democracy
citizen participation
institutional health
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- voting
- community organizing
- public debate
- education reform
Key Concepts
political theory
social inertia
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you break passive habits?
- What role does conformity play in society?
A Different Perspective
Change is slow and faces resistance.
![“I wrote an article about the marine landing [in Haiti] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two months later and I assumed by then, "of course, everybody knows." Nobody knew. There was a news report in the Wall Street Journal, in the petroleum journals, and…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dc5/noam-chomsky-42_articles_i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-land_13341.jpg)
