"The man who never makes a mistake always takes orders from one who does. No man or woman who tries to pursue an ideal in his or her own way is without enemies"
About this Quote
The second line tightens the screw. Idealism isn’t treated as a halo; it’s treated as a target. “In his or her own way” is the tell: Bates isn’t warning against having ideals, she’s warning that independent pursuit of them disrupts existing arrangements. Enemies appear not because the ideal is extreme, but because the person is unmanageable. That’s a sharper, more modern insight than a generic “people will disagree” sentiment. It’s about power, not personalities.
Context does a lot of work here. Bates, as a central figure in the Little Rock integration crisis, understood that social change is a public act that invites public punishment. The “mistakes” are not just tactical missteps; they’re the inevitable cracks opponents exploit to delegitimize a movement, a leader, a student, a parent. Her point is bracingly pragmatic: if you’re acting on conscience rather than permission, expect error, expect backlash, and don’t confuse either with failure.
Quote Details
| Topic | Wisdom |
|---|---|
| Source | Later attribution: Forbes Book of Quotations (Ted Goodman, 2016) modern compilationISBN: 9780316310055 · ID: c8OeEQAAQBAJ
Evidence:
... The man who never makes a mistake always takes orders from one who does. No man or woman who tries to pursue an ideal in his or her own way is without enemies. Daisy Bates When my enemies stop hissing, I shall know I'm slipping. Maria ... |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Bates, Daisy. (2026, February 9). The man who never makes a mistake always takes orders from one who does. No man or woman who tries to pursue an ideal in his or her own way is without enemies. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-man-who-never-makes-a-mistake-always-takes-150377/
Chicago Style
Bates, Daisy. "The man who never makes a mistake always takes orders from one who does. No man or woman who tries to pursue an ideal in his or her own way is without enemies." FixQuotes. February 9, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-man-who-never-makes-a-mistake-always-takes-150377/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"The man who never makes a mistake always takes orders from one who does. No man or woman who tries to pursue an ideal in his or her own way is without enemies." FixQuotes, 9 Feb. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/the-man-who-never-makes-a-mistake-always-takes-150377/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
