"If we like a man's dream, we call him a reformer; if we don't like his dream, we call him a crank"

This quote by William Dean Howells speaks to the idea of how society sees people who have dreams and ideas that are various from the norm. It suggests that if a person has a dream that is accepted by society, they are seen as a reformer, somebody who is trying to make a positive change. Nevertheless, if an individual has a dream that is not accepted by society, they are viewed as a crank, someone who is viewed as strange or eccentric. This quote speaks with the concept that society is typically fast to judge individuals who have various ideas, and that it is necessary to be unbiased and accept different viewpoints. It also suggests that it is important to be open to new ideas and to not be too quick to evaluate those who have various dreams.