Margaret Mead

If we are to achieve a richer culture, rich in contrasting values, we must understand the process by which cultures grow and change.

The assumption that human nature is everywhere the same, and that therefore the same institutions are everywhere appropriate, is a dangerous one.

The way in which each human infant is transformed into the adult of his society, the way in which this transformation is mediated by the culture, is the central problem of anthropology.

Instead of being a single, continuous, and universally valid process, adolescence, as we know it, is a cultural invention.

What we mean by 'human nature' is not a fixed, immutable entity, but a range of possibilities within which cultures select and emphasize certain traits.

The future of mankind is in the hands of the young.

We are now at a point where we must educate our children for a world that does not yet exist.

The central problem of our age is how to use man's new knowledge for man's good.

Every time we liberate a woman, we liberate a man.

The world does not need to be saved; it needs to be understood.

The human race is a single species, and its diversity is its strength.

We must recognize that the future is not something that happens to us, but something we create.

One of the oldest human needs is having someone to wonder where you are when you don't come home at night.

The only way to save the world is to make it a better place for everyone.

We are all now caught in a global network of communication and interdependence.

The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence itself, but to act with yesterday's logic.

The world is a complex place, and we need to approach it with humility and a willingness to learn.

The study of primitive peoples has shown us that there are many ways of being human.

The human mind is a powerful tool, and we must use it to solve the problems facing humanity.

The central task of anthropology is to make the world safe for human differences.