The Measure of Man
Joseph Wood Krutch's book The Measure of Man, published by Grosset & Dunlap in 1968 is an amazing work on sociology and anthropology that is still valid today. Some topics that come to mind are the role religion plays in society; the role of the establishment, be it government, education, etc.; the role of individuals; etc. One thought that haunts me is his theory that we have learned too much about physical and human nature. Krutch wonders if this knowledge might be used spuriously, against us. In many ways, his thinking and commentary is conservative. Nonetheless, there are some good observations applicable still today.
Consider some of these quotes:
Page 40: Educators, sociologists, and lawmakers have begun to act as though man were absolutely incapable of choice, of self-determination, or of any autonomous activity....Moreover and merely by being treated as though he could do nothing for himnself man is, perhaps, actually becoming less capable of doing so. Any society which not merely tells its members that they are automata but also treats them as though they were, runs the risk of becoming a society in which human capacities atrophy because they are less and less rewarded, or even tolerated, as well as less and less acknowledged.
Page 49: Are we possibly anything more than the result of the forces which have been impinged on us?
Page 70: Power is exercised by those who seized it....human destiny will be in the hands of those who are now in a position to control it.
Page 70: All the value judgements made in the future will be made by those who have been conditioned to approve what has happened to them.
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