"For men to plunge headlong into an undertaking of vast change, they must be intensely discontented yet not destitute, and they must have the feeling that by the possession of some potent doctrine, infallible leader or some new technique they have access to a source of irresistible power. They must also have an extravagant conception of the prospects and potentialities of the future. Finally, they must be wholly ignorant of the difficulties involved in their vast undertaking. Experience is a handicap."
Sunday, February 01, 2009
I am loving this book.
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5 comments:
Just a guess... "A Long Time Coming"?
Eric Hoffer's "The True Believer"
Thank Google books; this one was quoted by lots of different people in lots of different contexts.
What do I win?
(Avoiding the Superbowl now that Bruce is done.)
This being an advantage of having new assistant professors in the building - they may still expect rationality. That can be a positive influence.
Yes! Assistant professors are the ones who consistently come up with grand ideas to Change the Department in a Positive Way. Old curmudgeons sit back and remember how We Tried That in 87 and It Did Not Work Then and So It Will Not Work Now.
Mid-career folk, like myself, vote with the newbies, but, having experienced all the insanity university life has to offer, secretly fear that the curmudgeons are right.
Every time I read something like this, I think about how much it must have applied to the US' Founding Fathers.
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