He who has never failed somewhere, that man cannot be great.

He who has never failed somewhere, that man cannot be great.

The noisy and extensive scene of crowds without company, and
dissipation without pleasure.

The noisy and extensive scene of crowds without company, and
dissipation without pleasure.

Never soar aloft on an enemy's pinions.

Never soar aloft on an enemy's pinions.

And what is a good citizen? Simply one who never says, does or thinks anything that is unusual. Schools are read more

And what is a good citizen? Simply one who never says, does or thinks anything that is unusual. Schools are maintained in order to bring this uniformity up to the highest possible point. A school is a hopper into which children are heaved while they are still young and tender; therein they are pressed into certain standard shapes and covered from head to heels with official rubber-stamps.

...each new generation born is in effect an invasion of civilization by little barbarians, who must be civilized before it read more

...each new generation born is in effect an invasion of civilization by little barbarians, who must be civilized before it is too late.

Being right too soon is socially unacceptable.

Being right too soon is socially unacceptable.

In a society in which it is a moral offense to be different from your neighbor your only escape is read more

In a society in which it is a moral offense to be different from your neighbor your only escape is never to let them find out.

A lie would have no sense unless the truth were felt dangerous.

A lie would have no sense unless the truth were felt dangerous.

The biggest mischief in the past century has been perpetrated by Rousseau with his doctrine of the goodness of human read more

The biggest mischief in the past century has been perpetrated by Rousseau with his doctrine of the goodness of human nature. The mob and the intellectuals derived from it the vision of a Golden Age which would arrive without fail once the noble human race could act according to its whims.