Achieving small changes stops people from demanding big changes.

Incrementalism is a slippery slope. By accepting limited changes, we halt the momentum of a movement. This leads to us accepting half-measures. Then we have to fight to keep these changes and we stop demanding progress. We unconsciously lower our expectations for change. Small changes are heralded as victories that lull people into complacency. We provide legitimacy to incrementalism and the unsubstantial changes. Eventually, we begin to accept repackaging the same status quo as change. An example of this is the Paris Climate Agreement. It was praised as a success, with some even going so far to say that it was the solution to climate change. After years of incremental progress, the achievement of reaching an agreement made it seem like a success. Even the countries and non-governmental organizations that thought that it was an inadequate response, legitimized it because an incremental agreement was seen as better than no agreement (which could have been what happened if they tried to hold out for a better agreement). ^[1].

[P1] By accepting limited changes, we halt the momentum of a movement. [P2] This leads to us accepting half-measures. [P3] Then we have to fight to keep these changes and we stop demanding progress.