Are We Afraid of Thinking?
INSPIRATIONAL, 11 Feb 2019
Bertrand Russell | Opinion Sur – TRANSCEND Media Service
Men fear thought as they fear nothing else on earth—more than ruin, more even than death. Thought is subversive and revolutionary, destructive and terrible; thought is merciless to privilege, established ‘institutions, and comfortable habits; thought is anarchic and lawless, indifferent to authority, careless of the well-tried wisdom of the ages.
But if thought is to become the possession of many, not the privilege of the few, we must have done with fear. It is fear that holds men back — fear lest their cherished beliefs should prove delusions, fear lest the institutions by which they live should prove harmful, fear lest they themselves should prove less worthy, of respect than they have supposed themselves to be.
“Should the working man think freely about property? Then what will become of us, the rich? ‘Should young men and young women think freely about sex? Then what will become of morality? Should soldiers think freely about war? Then what will become of military discipline?
Away with thought!
Back into the shades of prejudice, lest property, morals, and war should be endangered! Better men should be stupid, slothful, and oppressive than that their thoughts should be free. For if their thoughts were free they might not think as We do. And at all costs this disaster must be averted.”
So the opponents of thought argue in the unconscious depths of their souls. And so they act in their churches, their schools, and their universities.
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Bertrand Arthur William Russell, (18 May 1872 – 2 Feb 1970), 3rd Earl Russell, was a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, writer, social critic, political activist, and Nobel literature laureate. Wikipedia
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