"The only people available to change the world are the people now living in it, with all the beliefs they bring along - however retrograde those beliefs may appear to those of us who see ourselves as enlightened"

This quote by Todd Gitlin speaks with the idea that the only people who can really change the world are those who are living in it now. This indicates that we need to accept and work with the beliefs of those around us, even if we might not agree with them. We should recognize that these beliefs, nevertheless dated they may appear to us, are still held by many individuals and must be taken into consideration when attempting to make changes. We must likewise recognize that our own beliefs might be seen as out-of-date by others, which we should be open to learning from those around us. Ultimately, we need to accept that the only method to really alter the world is to interact, despite our distinctions.