The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that "my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge."
Interpretation
Anti-intellectualism undermines democratic discourse by equating ignorance with knowledge.
In this quote, Isaac Asimov critiques the pervasive anti-intellectual sentiment that exists in society. He points out that this thread of thought has been reinforced by the erroneous belief that in a democracy, an individual's lack of knowledge is as valuable as another's informed perspective. This mindset threatens the foundations of informed decision-making and democratic engagement, suggesting that understanding and expertise are devalued in favor of populist ignorance.
In practice
This quote can be used in a seminar discussing the importance of education in a democratic society.
Democracy cannot survive overpopulation. Human dignity cannot survive it. Convenience and decency cannot survive it. As you put more and more people into the world, the value of life not only declines, but it disappears. It doesn't matter if someone dies.
Science does not promise absolute truth, nor does it consider that such a thing necessarily exists. Science does not even promise that everything in the Universe is amenable to the scientific process.
Democracy cannot survive overpopulation.
Although the time of death is approaching me, I am not afraid of dying and going to Hell or (what would be considerably worse) going to the popularized version of Heaven. I expect death to be nothingness and, for removing me from all possible fears of death, I am thankful to atheism.
A subtle thought that is in error may yet give rise to fruitful inquiry that can establish truths of great value.
During the century after Newton, it was still possible for a man of unusual attainments to master all fields of scientific knowledge. But by 1800, this had become entirely impracticable.
One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.
Men have been obliged to make for themselves a notion of what religion is, long before the science of religions started its methodical comparisons.
When life demands more of people than they demand of life - as is ordinarily the case - what results is a resentment of life almost as deep-seated as the fear of death
The revealed and mystic literature of mankind bears ample testimony to the fact that religious experience has been too enduring and dominant in the history of mankind to be rejected as mere illusion. There seems to be no reason, then, to accept the normal level of human experience as fact and reject its other levels as mystical and emotional.
Even Castles made of sand, fall into the sea, eventually.
Death is a companion for all of us, whether we acknowledge it or not, whether we're aware of it or not, and it's not necessarily a terrible thing.
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