Because many advances have happened, we've lost the urgency (and that's just human nature) that we had before, when we couldn't vote, couldn't use mass transportation, or drink from the fountains.
Interpretation
This quote reflects on how societal progress can lead to complacency in pursuing further change.
Spike Lee's quote highlights the human tendency to become less urgent about pushing for change once certain advancements have been achieved. He urges us to recognize that while we have made significant progress in areas such as voting rights and public amenities, it is essential to maintain a sense of urgency to address ongoing injustices and strive for further improvements in society.
In practice
During a speech about social justice, this quote can remind the audience of the need to keep pushing for equality.
I think that anyone who lives in New York, who's lived here, who's spent any time here, knows that it's basically a love-hate relationship, you might say. Even though I still think it's the greatest city in the world and I wouldn't live anywhere else, there're still things about it one doesn't like. The love far outweighs the negative.
There's an unwritten law that you cannot have a Jewish character in a film who isn't 100 percent perfect, or you're labeled anti-Semitic.
The truth is I've been doing Kickstarter before there was Kickstarter; there was no Internet. Social Media was writing letters, making phone calls, beating the bushes.
It gets dangerous when you start allowing people to validate your work.
All directors are storytellers, so the motivation was to tell the story I wanted to tell. That's what I love.
It comes down to this: black people were stripped of our identities when we were brought here, and it's been a quest since then to define who we are.
The uplift of the women, the awakening of the masses must come first, and then only can any real good come about for the country, for India.
It doesn't matter how strong your opinions are. If you don't use your power for positive change, you are, indeed, part of the problem.
Anarchists know that a long period of education must precede any great fundamental change in society, hence they do not believe in vote begging, nor political campaigns, but rather in the development of self-thinking individuals.
Renew thyself completely each day.
They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.
If you see that some aspect of your society is bad, and you want to improve it, there is only one way to do so: you have to improve people. And in order to improve people, you begin with only ONE thing: you can become better yourself.
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