Quotes About Society

Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared that we would become a trivial culture. . . . Orwell feared that what we hate will ruin us. Huxley feared that what we love will ruin us.

Why is it easier to get men to go to war than to see a counselor?

The true nature of man left to himself without restraint is not nobility but savagery

From the newsstands a dozen models smiled up at her from a dozen magazine covers, smiled in thin-faced, high-cheekboned agreement to Kessa's new discovery. They knew the secret too. They knew thin was good, thin was strong; thin was safe.

Alas, our technology has marched ahead of our spiritual and social evolution, making us, frankly, a dangerous people.

The worst monsters are the human ones.

and any discussion of art vs. entertainment in the present cultural climate invites accusations of elitism and snobbery.

If a third of the stories in the Decameron mock religion, two-thirds celebrate sex.

Aretino was a satirist on the noble if futile quest to reform his corrupt society by shoving its face in its worse excesses. (Futile because has any society ever reformed itself after being shown the error of its ways by a satirist? anywhere? ever?)

Long hair is an unpardonable offence which should be punishable by death.

Racism is beyond common sense and has no place in our society.

I'm not an anarchist, but I believe that people don't want the royal family - the so-called royal family.

This is America, after all, where a man's hygiene and sense of humor are more important than his pedigree.

I think we're living in a world where society is very difficult.

Instead of appreciating complexity, people tend to affiliate with one or another social dogma.

There are three major social issues that this country is struggling with: education, poverty, and drugs. Two of them we talk about, and one of them we don't.

They meant that a people who used common lands for common uses lived within a deviant economic culture.

My daddy was a coal miner, and I understand being out of work, okay? I've been down that road myself. And I know you've got to provide for your family. But I'm saying they're only giving us two options. They're saying, "Either starve—or destroy West Virginia." And surely to God there must be another option.31

Support bacteria - they're the only culture some people have.

And soon all our minds will be flat as a pancake, With no room for genius exaltation or heartache. And our children and theirs will preen, smirk and chatter, With not even the sense to ask what is the matter.

So what are they about? Oh people, said the young man. People? said the countess-ah, they are very difficult.

Art is sanctioned pornography

Os pensamentos que zoam no meu crânio são locatários de uma noite, meia dúzia de pares sem casa num ninho de amor passageiro, o fragor do guindaste da draga virá igualizar tudo, os momentos de deliciosa angústia do meu coração são roubados à sociedade de armadores que me emprega

I learned to change my accent in England, your accent identifies you very strongly with a class, and I did not want to be held back.