what does this mean: "the more things change, the more they stay the same"?

Question

is it something like "everything changes, but nothing changes"?

Answer 1

The more things change, the more it confirms that one thing never changes: change.

The fact that things change never changes, or as Rush once sang it, "He knows no change is permanent, but change is."

Answer 2

The quote means that despite whatever changes may occur over time, ironically, very little of note changes with it.

Think of technology as an example: a mere 25 years ago, there were very few personal computers; now they are as common as fast-food chains! Yet, has the world changed for the better in any way, shape, or form? Sure, some people have become rich off the internet, while others have gone broke over internet stocks, but who can honestly say that society has improved because of it? We still have wars; gangs seem to be unstoppable; people go hungry every day; there are more and more homeless on the streets; etc. Yet, the politicians keep talking and do absolutely nothing, exactly as they have done for centuries! There are people who get away with crimes (you need only look at today's newspaper to see whatever rich person recently got a slap on the wrist), and some whose accomplishments are unheralded, noted only on the back pages of the inner sections of most newspapers (for the first time in the world history of space exploration, two women are in charge of a space mission; one in the US Space Shuttle, the other on the orbital space station; how many of you knew that?).

However, changes have occurred that defy rationale. For example, how many people have been threatened or beaten, because they asked some teen to lower his car stereo? When arrested, the teens invariably not only express no remorse (except for the crocodile tears from wanting their mommy and daddy), but blame the media for their violent actions (I was a court magistrate, so I have first-hand knowledge of this). And, yet, the average citizen simply shrugs off such violence as "status quo". The cops are outnumbered and outgunned, yet we stick to alleged principles as rights of privacy and to bear arms, and we coddle the incarcerated, rather than beating the cra. . .

Hmmm . . . I seem to have gone on a bit of a rant, there! ;)

FWIW, the link, below, gives the source of this quote.

Answer 3

Politicians often promise major changes to get elected, but once they get in office, many of them do the same things their predecessors did. George Orwell illustrated the principle very well in "Animal Farm". The animals overthrew the farmers and declared that all animals were created equal, but soon they were saying, "...but some are more equal than others", and it steadily went downhill from there. In the end there was little difference between the pigs who assumed control and the farmers they had overthrown. That's a good analogy for what often happens in real-world politics.

Answer 4

Maybe it means that even though things are always changing in our lives (financial increased, marriage, etc…) & we want them to, we as people are never satisfies, thus making us always wanting change. And when we are always wanting CHANGE we are just staying the same, b/c we can’t be happy w/ the way things are.

Just a thought. :>)