“New ideas pass through three periods: 1) It can’t be done. 2) It probably can be done, but it’s not worth doing. 3) I knew it was a good idea all along!”
- December 16, 1917 – March 19, 2008
- British
- Science Fiction Writer, Futurist, Inventor, Author of 2001: A Space Odyssey
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Quote
“New ideas pass through three periods: 1) It can’t be done. 2) It probably can be done, but it’s not worth doing. 3) I knew it was a good idea all along!”
Explanation
This quote reflects Arthur C. Clarke’s insight into the psychological and social resistance that often accompanies innovation. He outlines a typical progression in how new ideas are received: initial rejection, reluctant acknowledgment, and eventual revisionist acceptance. Clarke captures the paradox of progress—how groundbreaking concepts are first dismissed, then doubted, and finally embraced as obvious once they succeed.
Clarke’s observation is grounded in the history of science and technology, where examples abound. Innovations like the airplane, the internet, or even space travel were once dismissed as impractical or absurd. Yet once proven, these same ideas became celebrated milestones, with critics retroactively claiming to have supported them. This pattern reveals not only human skepticism and inertia, but also our tendency to rewrite history to align with success.
In modern contexts—such as AI, renewable energy, or biotechnology—Clarke’s words still ring true. Visionary thinkers often face derision or disinterest, only to see their ideas validated later. The quote encourages perseverance and underscores the need for patience, courage, and foresight in the face of doubt. Clarke reminds us that what is ridiculed today may become the norm tomorrow, and that real innovation must weather the storm of disbelief.
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