The Optimism of Uncertainty by Howard Zinn
Revolutionary change does not come as one cataclysmic moment (beware of such moments!) but as an endless succession of surprises, moving zigzag toward a more decent society. We don’t have to engage in grand, heroic actions to participate in the process of change. Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.
This is the whole point behind progressivism. While we may never achieve the great heights we might aim towards, it’s the act of trying, and looking to make those improvements to the human condition that count. And many individuals independantly acting likewise can do it.