“The revolution is not the climax of historical evolution but a conspiracy against it”
— Erich Fromm
Simplified Meaning:
Big changes in society, like revolutions, are not the peak of how things naturally progress over time. Instead, they're more like planned surprises that disrupt the usual flow of history. Think of it like a school where students go through grades one by one. If someone suddenly skips several grades and graduates early, it's like a revolution; it disrupts the normal order. For example, the French Revolution didn't just happen out of nowhere. It was a deliberate effort to overthrow the old ways, not just the next step in an ongoing process. People plotted and planned to change things faster than they might have changed on their own. In our daily lives, it means that if we want big changes, we often need to take active steps rather than just waiting for things to evolve on their own. If you want to dramatically change your career, for example, you'll probably need to take a bold step, maybe going back to school or starting your own business, rather than just hoping things will improve over time.