The play of conflicting interests in a framework of shared purposes is the drama of a free society. It is a robust exercise, and often a noisy one. It is not for the faint-hearted, or the tidy-minded. John W. Gardner More Quotes by John W. Gardner More Quotes From John W. Gardner The hallmark of our age is the tension between aspirations and sluggish institutions. John W. Gardner hallmark institutions age Our problem is not to find better values but to be faithful to those we profess. John W. Gardner being-faithful faithful problem I think that all human systems require continuous renewal. They rigidify. They get stuff in the joints. They forget what they cared about. The forces against it are nostalgia and the enormous appeal of having things the way they always have been, appeals to a supposedly happy past. But we've got to move on. John W. Gardner change past moving All excellence involves discipline and tenacity of purpose. John W. Gardner discipline excellence purpose A prime function of a leader is to keep hope alive. John W. Gardner teaching leadership hope The [nonprofit] sector enhances our creativity, enlivens our communities, nurtures individual responsibility, stirs life at the grassroots, and reminds us that we were born free. John W. Gardner creativity community responsibility When one may pay out over two million dollars to presidential and Congressional campaigns, the U.S. government is virtually up for sale. John W. Gardner presidential government two The ultimate goal of the educational system is to shift to the individual the burden of pursing his own education. This will not be a widely shared pursuit until we get over our odd conviction that education is what goes on in school buildings and nowhere else. John W. Gardner teaching education school What leaders have to remember is that somewhere under the somnolent surface is the creature that builds civilizations, the dreamer of dreams, the risk taker. And remembering that, the leader must reach down to the springs that never dry up, the ever-fresh springs of the human spirit. John W. Gardner dream spring civilization The creative individual has the capacity to free himself from the web of social pressures in which the rest of us are caught. He is capable of questioning the assumptions that the rest of us accept. John W. Gardner creativity creative imagination If the modern leader doesn't know the facts, he is in grave trouble, but rarely do the facts provide unqualified guidance. John W. Gardner unqualified leadership facts If one defines the term 'dropout' to mean a person who has given up serious effort to meet his responsibilities, then every business office, government agency, golf club and university faculty would yield its quota. John W. Gardner responsibility work mean We get richer and richer in filthier and filthier communities until we reach a final state of affluent misery - crocus on a garbage heap. John W. Gardner garbage finals community It is not easy to be crafty and winsome at the same time, and few accomplish it after the age of six. John W. Gardner six age children The world loves talent but pays off on character. John W. Gardner world-love pay character The man who once cursed his fate, now curses himself - and pays his psychoanalyst. John W. Gardner fate pay men Some people have greatness thrust upon them. Very few have excellence thrust upon them. John W. Gardner greatness perfection people Nothing can be more readily disproved than the old saw, "You can't keep a good man down." Most human societies have been beautifully organized to keep good men down. John W. Gardner good-man society men The [nonprofit] sector is the natural home of nonmajoritarian impulses, movements and values. It comfortably harbors innovators, maverick movements, groups which feel they must fight for their place in the sun, and critics of both liberal conservative persuasion. John W. Gardner groups fighting home Perhaps the most striking feature of the [nonprofit] sector is its relative freedom from constraints and its resulting pluralism. John W. Gardner pluralism nonprofits democratic
