Revolt Quote by Thomas M. Nichols
““This was the same warning José Ortega y Gasset gave when he wrote Revolt of the Masses in 1930: “The mass crushes beneath it everything that is different, everything that is excellent, individual, qualified and select. Anybody who is not like everybody, who does not think like everybody, runs the risk of being eliminated.”24 “I’m as good as you,” Screwtape chortles at the end of his address, “is a useful means for the destruction of democratic societies.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Revolt of the Masses by José Ortega y Gasset, 1930
Societies tend to suppress individuality and excellence, rewarding conformity and punishing dissent.
In simple terms: Conformity crushes difference and excellence.
Key Takeaway
Guard and diversity and think critically.
Themes
conformity
individuality
politics
democracy
social pressure
Mood
concerned
reflective
determined
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- education reform
- political activism
- media literacy
- community building
Key Concepts
mass psychology
authoritarianism
cultural conformity
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you resist pressure to conform?
- What role does critical thinking play in protecting democracy?
A Different Perspective
Even small acts of conformity can erode democratic values over time.
