The aspect of American society is animated, because men and things are always changing; but it is monotonous, because all the changes are alike.
Alexis De TocquevilleRead
The surface of American society is covered with a layer of democratic paint, but from time to time one can see the old aristocratic colours breaking through.
Interpretation
This quote suggests that while American society appears democratic, underlying aristocratic influences still persist.
Alexis De Tocqueville's quote implies that the face of American democracy is merely a facade, with deeper, older aristocratic values and structures occasionally surfacing. This observation reflects the complex interplay between democracy and aristocracy in society, as well as the tension between ideals and realities.
In practice
In a discussion on political systems during a lecture, one might cite this quote to highlight the complexity of American democracy.
The aspect of American society is animated, because men and things are always changing; but it is monotonous, because all the changes are alike.
Democratic communities have a natural taste for freedom: left to themselves they will seek it, cherish it, and view any deprivation of it with regret. But for equality their passion is ardent, insatiable, incessant, invincible: they call for equality in freedom; and if they cannot obtain that, they still call for equality in slavery.
Religion, which never intervenes directly in the government of American society, should therefore be considered as the first of their political institutions
The Indian knew how to live without wants, to suffer without complaint, and to die singing.
Grant me thirty years of equal division of inheritances and a free press, and I will provide you with a republic.
When none but the wealthy had watches, they were almost all very good ones; few are now made which are worth much, but everybody has one in his pocket.
We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn't want to meet.
If you know that life is basically going to be horrendously difficult, at best, and all but unlivable at worst, or possibly even unlivable, do you go on? And the choice to go on is the only thing that I think can be called hope. Because if hope isn't forced to encounter the worst possibility, then it's a lie.
Itβs terrible to lie in chains,_x000D_ To rot in dungeon deep,_x000D_ But itβs still worse, when you are free_x000D_ To sleep, and sleep, and sleep.
Only the shallow know themselves.
I am convinced that whenever we exaggerate or demonize, oversimplify or overstate our case, we lose. Whenever we dumb down the political debate, we lose. For it's precisely the pursuit of ideological purity, the rigid orthodoxy and the sheer predictability of our current political debate, that keeps us from finding new ways to meet the challenges we face.
We want to avoid suffering, death, sin, ashes. But we live in a world crushed and broken and torn, a world God Himself visited to redeem. We receive his poured-out life, and being allowed the high privilege of suffering with Him, may then pour ourselves out for others.
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