Friendship Quote by Richard John Neuhaus
““A bishop friend who is known for his advocacy of controversial positions says his rule of thumb when uncertain about which course to choose is "Go with the future." Had he lived in Germany in 1932 and followed that rule of thumb he would have been a spirited supporter of Adolf Hitler. There is no "future" to guide our present decisions. There are only possible futures that we can strive to advance or resist. More precisely, there is no "future" until it happens, and then it is fleetingly the present on its way to becoming the past. Yet we persist in trying to dismiss proposals labeled as conservative because, we confidently proclaim, they are not of the future but of the past. . . . The commandments of the future are easier, of course, because we can make them up to our liking.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Future and the Past” by Richard John Neuhaus, 1995
The quote warns that treating “future” as a fixed guide is dangerous; futures are uncertain and must be shaped, not assumed.
In simple terms: Future is not a preset path; we must create it.
Key Takeaway
Beware of assuming future certainty.
Themes
philosophy
politics
ethics
Mood
cautious
critical
thoughtful
Type
analytical
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- policy debates
- strategic planning
- social movements
- personal choices
Key Concepts
future
uncertainty
decision making
historical context
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you evaluate ideas without future future bias?
- What responsibilities do we have to shape possible futures?
A Different Perspective
Assuming a single future can justify harmful ideologies.
![“[Diversity] is the future. You can't stop it. It's going where it's going, so I choose to be with the future.” quote by Zendaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cf2/zendaya-4755_diversity_diversity-is-the-future-you-can-t-stop-i_51211.jpg)
