John Maynard Keynes Quotes

I think our Western society is very much about, 'Tuck your head in; make sure you're safe. Don't rock the boat.'

Fame or perceived success - it all comes from groupthink.

Quite a few people have to believe something is normal before it becomes normal - a sort of 'voting' situation. But once the threshold is reached, then everyone demands to do whatever it is.

I had an immense advantage over many others dealing with the problem inasmuch as I had no fixed ideas derived from long-established practice to control and bias my mind, and did not suffer from the general belief that whatever is, is right.

Some days, I think maybe we should try and be a little more conventional, but every time I try, I fail, so I'm learning to not even entertain that thought anymore.

You either go along with the system - conform to what is expected to be a hit - or you have very tough going.

I know how easy it is for some minds to glide along with the current of popular opinion, where influence, respectability, and all those motives which tend to seduce the human heart are brought to bear.

Cautious, careful people, always casting about to preserve their reputation and social standing, never can bring about reform.

It’s not hard to be popular if you take a poll to find out what it means to be popular.

With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it, nothing can succeed.

The country needs and, unless I mistake its temper, the country demands bold, persistent experimentation. It is common sense to take a method and try it: If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.

I am the mainstream.

I was stuck with the dark glasses. They took all these pictures that went around the world. I guess once you become successful, you don't want to change anything too drastically.

My mother's mantra was, 'How would it look to the neighbors?' And so you don't do anything because you're worried about how it would look to the neighbors.

When there is change, there are always sceptics who think it won't work. I am sure someone at some point thought the iPhone wouldn't take off.

What makes you the establishment is if you buy into it.

If you run into trouble doing what's expected, people sympathize with you, while if you try something else and flop everyone says, You see?

The fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses.

The reason they want you to fit in... is that once you do, then they can ignore you.

Following the rules of your industry will only get you so far.

Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.

Popularity is the one insult I have never suffered.

If you make a show of going against the times, flaunting your unconventional ideas and unorthodox way, people will think that you only want attention and that you look down upon them.They will find away to punish you for making them feel inferior. It is far safer to blend in and nurture the common touch. Share your originality only with tolerant friends and those who are sure to appreciate your uniqueness.

Startups are the engines of exponential growth, manifesting the power of innovation. Several big companies today are startups of yesterday. They were born with a spirit of enterprise and adventure kept alive due to hardwork and perseverance and today have become shining beacons of innovation.

I'm sure that in the fullness of time we'll learn that one or more of these seemingly promising technologies were dead ends. And that's the nature of innovation, and that's why we should spread our bets; we should not put our eggs in any one basket. Some of these will be grand successes, some of them will be average, and some of them will be abject failures.