This quote by Alan Bennett speaks to the idea that standards, by their nature, are outdated ideas. Standards are meant to provide a set of guidelines that everyone can agree on and strive for, but they can become outdated as new ideas emerge and society evolves. Standards are meant to be a benchmark that can be compared against, but as those benchmarks become outdated, it can be difficult to know whether or not those standards are still relevant. This quotes highlights the importance of continously assessing and reevaluating so that they remain relevant and up-to-date.