"The despotism of custom is everywhere the standing hindrance to human advancement"

John Stuart Mill's quote talks to the power of tradition and how it can be a barrier to progress. He is recommending that when people are too entrenched in their custom-mades and traditions, they are not able to move on and make progress. This is because they are so concentrated on keeping the status quo that they are not able to believe outside the box and develop new ideas. This can be seen in numerous elements of life, from politics to faith to education. Customized can be an effective force that can avoid people from making changes that might benefit them and society as a whole. It is very important to acknowledge the power of customized and to be happy to challenge it when necessary in order to make development.