That famous quote is attributed to Margaret Mead, a pioneering anthropologist and student of traditional societies. It is widely used to encourage those wishing to change the world, but because of their perceived powerlessness, doubting their ability to make a difference. I have two problems with this quote, one trivial and the other quite central.
The trivial one is this. I can find no record of the actual source of this "quote," either in the published works of Dr. Mead, or in the record of her speeches and remarks. Virtually every compendium of quotations contains this line, with little variation in its details, so it seems likely that these many references are based on a single earlier statement asserting her authorship, but every reference I have examined lacks a documented source. Of course, that is not proof of anything, and from her reputation and perspective (I actually met her many years ago.) her authorship is not implausible.
The more important caveat is this. The second half of the assertion itself ("Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.") is patently false. First of all, most of the genuinely transformative events in this world have arisen fron non-human sources. That is not code for a literal belief in the bible, although many do believe its account of the world's early history. I am referring instead to the very clear record of changes due to powerful and unpredictable natural events far outside of human control or intervention; asteroids, floods, earthquakes, major storms etc, to say nothing of evolution as the ultimate driver of change.
Even the main thought, that "a small group of ... citizens" can change the world, while true, avoids recognition that most human driven change is far less deliberate than that. Even when it appears to happen, itis almost always the case that circumstances were conducive or even sufficient by themselves to account for the ultimate change. We do like to take credit for things that happened while we were on the bridge, or at least lurking in the vicinity, but both appropriate modesty and an accurate examination of the change and its history should make us doubt our effectiveness as its agents.
I do not suggest that we are powerless. But I do mean to argue that our abilities may rest more on being able to take advantage of trends already underway or to catalyze a move ready to take place, and less on serving as the "force majeure". Indeed, it is wise to help bring about the necessary conditions and to be ready to pull the plug at the appropriate moment. What is then the precise cause? And if we wish for that outcome, does that question really need to be answered?
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