The democratic idealist is prone to make light of the whole question of standards and leadership because of his unbounded faith in the plain people.

Quote by Irving Babbitt

Topics: Irving Babbitt Quotes

A person who has sympathy for mankind in the lump, faith in its future progress,...

A person who has sympathy for mankind in the lump, faith in its future progress,...

The industrial revolution has tended to produce everywhere great urban masses that seem to be...

The industrial revolution has tended to produce everywhere great urban masses that seem to be...

If a man went simply by what he saw, he might be tempted to affirm...

If a man went simply by what he saw, he might be tempted to affirm...

To say that most of us today are purely expansive is only another way of...

To say that most of us today are purely expansive is only another way of...

Perhaps as good a classification as any of the main types is that of the...

Perhaps as good a classification as any of the main types is that of the...

Democracy is now going forth on a crusade against imperialism.

Democracy is now going forth on a crusade against imperialism.

Anyone who thus looks up has some chance of becoming worthy to be looked up...

Anyone who thus looks up has some chance of becoming worthy to be looked up...

We must not, however, be like the leaders of the great romantic revolt who, in...

We must not, however, be like the leaders of the great romantic revolt who, in...

For behind all imperialism is ultimately the imperialistic individual, just as behind all peace is...

For behind all imperialism is ultimately the imperialistic individual, just as behind all peace is...

According to the new ethics, virtue is not restrictive but expansive, a sentiment and even...

According to the new ethics, virtue is not restrictive but expansive, a sentiment and even...

An American of the present day reading his Sunday newspaper in a state of lazy...

An American of the present day reading his Sunday newspaper in a state of lazy...

The true humanist maintains a just balance between sympathy and selection.

The true humanist maintains a just balance between sympathy and selection.

The human mind, if it is to keep its sanity, must maintain the nicest balance...

The human mind, if it is to keep its sanity, must maintain the nicest balance...

The humanitarian would, of course, have us meddle in foreign affairs as part of his...

The humanitarian would, of course, have us meddle in foreign affairs as part of his...

Very few of the early Italian humanists were really humane.

Very few of the early Italian humanists were really humane.

If we are to have such a discipline we must have standards, and to get...

If we are to have such a discipline we must have standards, and to get...

We may affirm, then, that the main drift of the later Renaissance was away from...

We may affirm, then, that the main drift of the later Renaissance was away from...

A man needs to look, not down, but up to standards set so much above...

A man needs to look, not down, but up to standards set so much above...

A remarkable feature of the humanitarian movement, on both its sentimental and utilitarian sides, has...

A remarkable feature of the humanitarian movement, on both its sentimental and utilitarian sides, has...

Tell him, on the contrary, that he needs, in the interest of his own happiness,...

Tell him, on the contrary, that he needs, in the interest of his own happiness,...