History Quote by René Guénon
““It is doubtless true that the masses have always been led in one way or another, and it could be said that their part in history consists primarily in allowing themselves to be led, since they represent a predominantly passive element, a materia in the Aristotelian sense of the word; but in order to lead them today it is sufficient to possess oneself of purely material means, taking the word matter this time in its ordinary sense, and this clearly shows to what depths the present age has sunk; and at the same time these same masses are made to believe that they are not being led, but that they are acting spontaneously and governing themselves, and the fact that they believe this to be true gives an idea of the extent of their unintelligence.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Crisis of the Modern World, 1930
Masses are passive, easily manipulated by material power, believing they act freely while actually being guided.
In simple terms: People think they act freely but are often controlled by material forces.
Key Takeaway
Question authority and seek deeper understanding.
Themes
power
manipulation
freedom
ignorance
Mood
critical
provocative
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- political campaigns
- advertising
- education curricula
- social media consumption
Key Concepts
critical theory
social control
philosophy of history
Questions to Reflect On
- What evidence shows people exercising genuine agency?
- How can critical thinking be fostered?
A Different Perspective
Not all individuals are passive; many resist and create change.
![“[...] Within the religious realm, the same can be said about that type of'apologetics' that claims to agree with the results of modern science-an utterly illusory undertaking and one that constantly requires revision; one that also runs the risk of linking religion with changing and ephemeral…” quote by René Guénon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/86e/ren-gu-non-14100_apologetics_within-the-religious-realm-the-same-can_829579.jpg)
![“[Modern scientific] theories can necessarily never be more than hypothetical, since their starting-point is wholly empirical, for facts in themselves are always susceptible of diverse explanations and so never have been and never will be able to guarantee the truth of any theory.” quote by René Guénon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3aa/ren-gu-non-14100_science_modern-scientific-theories-can-necessari_983839.jpg)
