--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The modern clercs have created in…" description: "\"The modern clercs have created in so-called cultivated society a positive romanticism of harshness. The have also created a romanticism of contempt.\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4f/julien-benda-29115_contempt_the-modern-clercs-have-created-in-so-cal_2486635.png" --- # The modern clercs have created in so-called cultivated… ![“The modern clercs have created in so-called cultivated society a positive romanticism of harshness. The have also created a romanticism of contempt.” quote by Julien Benda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4f/julien-benda-29115_contempt_the-modern-clercs-have-created-in-so-cal_2486635.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4f/julien-benda-29115_contempt_the-modern-clercs-have-created-in-so-cal_2486635.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c4f/julien-benda-29115_contempt_the-modern-clercs-have-created-in-so-cal_2486635.png) > “The modern clercs have created in so-called cultivated society a positive romanticism of harshness. The have also created a romanticism of contempt.” [Julien Benda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-benda/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society glorifies both harshness and contempt, creating a twisted romanticism. **In simple terms:** Culture idealizes cruelty and disdain. Key Takeaway Question the allure of harsh ideals. Themes culture romanticism harshness contempt societal critique Mood critical reflective Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - political discourse - media analysis - academic debate - social media trends Key Concepts moral relativism elitism philosophical critique Questions to Reflect On - Why do we romanticize harshness? - How can we shift cultural values toward empathy? A Different Perspective Romanticizing cruelty can normalize oppression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contempt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contempt/) [Created Romanticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/created-romanticism-920944/) [Harshness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harshness/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Modern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern/) [Positive Romanticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-romanticism-920945/) [Romanticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romanticism/) [Romanticism Contempt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romanticism-contempt-920942/) [Romanticism Harshness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romanticism-harshness-920943/) ## Related quotes > [“Back onto their horses, and shortly thereafter word had come around from the command units that any soldier brawling over any matter relating to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cashore/back-onto-their-horses-and-shortly-thereafter-word-had-come-around/) [Kristin Cashore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cashore/) > [The problem is not the harshness of Fate, for anything we want strongly enough we get. The trouble is rather that when we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/the-problem-is-not-the-harshness-of-fate-for-anything-we-want/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [To friends and eke to foes true kindness show; No kindly heart unkindly deeds will do; Harshness will alienate a bosom friend. And kindness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-khayy-m/to-friends-and-eke-to-foes-true-kindness-show-no-kindly-heart/) [Omar Khayyam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-khayy-m/) > [Leadership means firmness, not harshness or bullying; understanding, not weakness; justice, not irresponsible freedom; humaneness, not intolerance; generosity, not selfishness; pride, not egotism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-n-bradley/leadership-means-firmness-not-harshness-or-bullying-understanding-not/) [Omar N. Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-n-bradley/) > [Without peace there can be no prosperity for any people, rich or poor. And yet, there can be no peace without erasing the harshness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/without-peace-there-can-be-no-prosperity-for-any-people-rich-or-poor/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [What quarrel, what harshness, what unbelief in each other can subsist in the presence of a great calamity, when all the artificial vesture of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/what-quarrel-what-harshness-what-unbelief-in-each-other-can-subsist/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [It is much to my advantage that several of my pictures should be seen together, as it displays to advantage their varieties of conception…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-constable/it-is-much-to-my-advantage-that-several-of-my-pictures-should-be-seen/) [John Constable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-constable/) > [I was affected by the harshness of government, the reality of 16-hour days, and the pressures of modern communications.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-blunkett/i-was-affected-by-the-harshness-of-government-the-reality-of-16-hour/) [David Blunkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-blunkett/) > [Love of goodness without love of learning degenerates into simple-mindedness. Love of knowledge without love of learning degenerates into utter lack of principle. Love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/love-of-goodness-without-love-of-learning-degenerates-into-simple/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Be an example to your men, in your duty and in private life. Never spare yourself, and let the troops see that you don'tin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-rommel/be-an-example-to-your-men-in-your-duty-and-in-private-life-never/) [Erwin Rommel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-rommel/) > [In the beginning, I was put off by the harshness of German. Someone would order a piece of cake, and it sounded as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/in-the-beginning-i-was-put-off-by-the-harshness-of-german-someone/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [ I think Oprah's \[winfrey\] learned from me that it's OK to be harsh on people because in one's harshness you can see transformation happen… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/i-think-oprah-s-winfrey-learned-from-me-that-it-s-ok-to-be-harsh-on/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [Arrogance is a mixture of impertinence, disobedience, indiscipline, rudeness, harshness, and a self-assertive nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sivananda/arrogance-is-a-mixture-of-impertinence-disobedience-indiscipline/) [Sivananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sivananda/) > [“The kindness that we receive from others in life, is also the kindness that we will want to give. The harshness that we receive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/the-kindness-that-we-receive-from-others-in-life-is-also-the-kindness/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [Where there is Love and Wisdom, there is neither Fear nor Ignorance. Where there is Patience and Humility, there is neither Anger nor Annoyance.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/where-there-is-love-and-wisdom-there-is-neither-fear-nor-ignorance/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) ## More by Julien Benda > [Peace is only possible if men cease to place their happiness in the possession of things "which cannot be shared," and if they raise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-benda/peace-is-only-possible-if-men-cease-to-place-their-happiness-in-the/) [Julien Benda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-benda/) > [Philosophy, which formerly raised man to feel conscious of himself because he was a thinking being and to say, 'I think therefore I am,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-benda/philosophy-which-formerly-raised-man-to-feel-conscious-of-himself/) [Julien Benda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-benda/) > [And History will smile to think that this is the species for which Socrates and Jesus Christ died.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-benda/and-history-will-smile-to-think-that-this-is-the-species-for-which/) [Julien Benda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-benda/) > [Nothing seems to me more doubtful than Aristotle's remark that it is probable the arts and philosophy have several times been discovered and several…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-benda/nothing-seems-to-me-more-doubtful-than-aristotle-s-remark-that-it-is/) [Julien Benda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-benda/) > [It may be said that modern Europe with teachers who inform it that its realist instincts are beautiful, acts ill and honors what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-benda/it-may-be-said-that-modern-europe-with-teachers-who-inform-it-that/) [Julien Benda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-benda/) > [Peace is only possible if men cease to place their happiness in the possession of things which cannot be shared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-benda/peace-is-only-possible-if-men-cease-to-place-their-happiness-in-the-2/) [Julien Benda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-benda/) > [Christianity exhorted man to set himself up against Nature, but did so in the name of his spiritual and disinterested attributes. Pragmatism exhorts him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-benda/christianity-exhorted-man-to-set-himself-up-against-nature-but-did-so/) [Julien Benda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-benda/) > [The modern moralists extol ... the cult of practical activity in defiance of the disinterested life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-benda/the-modern-moralists-extol-the-cult-of-practical-activity-in-defiance/) [Julien Benda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-benda/) > [The man of science, the artist, the philosopher are attached to their nations as much as the day-laborer and the merchant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-benda/the-man-of-science-the-artist-the-philosopher-are-attached-to-their/) [Julien Benda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-benda/) > [I shall go further and say that even if an examination of the past could lead to any valid prediction concerning man's future, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-benda/i-shall-go-further-and-say-that-even-if-an-examination-of-the-past/) [Julien Benda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-benda/) > [The true clerc is Vauvenargues, Lamarck, Fresnel, Spinoza, Schiller, Baudelaire, César Franck, who were never diverted from single-hearted adoration of the beautiful and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-benda/the-true-clerc-is-vauvenargues-lamarck-fresnel-spinoza-schiller/) [Julien Benda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-benda/) > [Since the Greeks the predominant attitude of thinkers towards intellectual activity was to glorify it insofar as (like aesthetic activity) it finds its satisfaction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-benda/since-the-greeks-the-predominant-attitude-of-thinkers-towards/) [Julien Benda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-benda/) > [All Europe, including Erasmus, has followed Luther.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-benda/all-europe-including-erasmus-has-followed-luther/) [Julien Benda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-benda/) > [Peace, if it ever exists, will not be based on the fear of war but on the love of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-benda/peace-if-it-ever-exists-will-not-be-based-on-the-fear-of-war-but-on-2/) [Julien Benda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-benda/) > [Peace, if it ever exists, will not be based on the fear of war, but on the love of peace. It will not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-benda/peace-if-it-ever-exists-will-not-be-based-on-the-fear-of-war-but-on-3/) [Julien Benda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-benda/) [Explore all 18 Julien Benda quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-benda/) ## More Contempt quotes > [Too much familiarity breeds contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/too-much-familiarity-breeds-contempt/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [The contempt for law and the contempt for the human consequences of lawbreaking go from the bottom to the top of American society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-contempt-for-law-and-the-contempt-for-the-human-consequences-of/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Our security depends on having good relationships with our allies. Donald Trump mainly shows contempt for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/our-security-depends-on-having-good-relationships-with-our-allies/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/show-your-contempt-for-the-problem-and-your-concern-for-the-person/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [There is no real elevation of mind in a contempt of little things; it is, on the contrary, from too narrow views that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-fenelon/there-is-no-real-elevation-of-mind-in-a-contempt-of-little-things-it/) [Francois Fenelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-fenelon/) > [Boasting and bravado may exist in the breast even of the coward, if he is successful through a mere lucky hit; but a just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/boasting-and-bravado-may-exist-in-the-breast-even-of-the-coward-if-he/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [Somebody once told me that if you laugh at a George Bush joke, or you send an email cartoon to your friends that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/somebody-once-told-me-that-if-you-laugh-at-a-george-bush-joke-or-you/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [Unless a man gives himself entirely to the Cross, in a spirit of humility and self-abasement; unless he casts himself down to be trampled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-the-evangelist/unless-a-man-gives-himself-entirely-to-the-cross-in-a-spirit-of/) [Mark the Evangelist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-the-evangelist/) > [Much of the same sort of degraded and filthy talk can still be heard among the orc-minded; dreary and repetitive with hatred and contempt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/much-of-the-same-sort-of-degraded-and-filthy-talk-can-still-be-heard/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [Contempt for an assailant is best shown by bravery in action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/contempt-for-an-assailant-is-best-shown-by-bravery-in-action/) [Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/) > [Statuettes of drunken sailors, velvet pictures of island maidens, plastic seashell lamps made in Taiwan. What contempt the people who think up souvenirs have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-johnson/statuettes-of-drunken-sailors-velvet-pictures-of-island-maidens/) [Diane Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-johnson/) > [Every person of any rank in the left, from voter on up to cabinet member to elected official in the Democrat Party, has contempt.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/every-person-of-any-rank-in-the-left-from-voter-on-up-to-cabinet/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Those with a gift for action, for their part, often express contempt for those whose gifts are more reflective. Men of action like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/those-with-a-gift-for-action-for-their-part-often-express-contempt/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) > [“opprobrious term, employed to impose contempt upon”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jabari-asim/opprobrious-term-employed-to-impose-contempt-upon/) [Jabari Asim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jabari-asim/) > [Heterosexual intercourse is the pure, formalized expression of contempt for women's bodies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-dworkin/heterosexual-intercourse-is-the-pure-formalized-expression-of/) [Andrea Dworkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-dworkin/) [Browse all 1,034 Contempt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contempt/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The modern clercs have created in so-called cultivated society a positive romanticism of harshness. 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