"At this
point I reveal myself in my true colours, as a stick-in-the-mud. I hold a
number of beliefs that have been repudiated by the liveliest intellects of our
time. I believe that order is better than chaos, creation better than
destruction. I prefer gentleness to violence, forgiveness to vendetta.
On the whole I
think that knowledge is preferable to ignorance, and I am sure that human
sympathy is more valuable than ideology. I believe that in spite of the recent
triumphs of science, men haven't changed much in the last two thousand years;
and in consequence we must still try to learn from history. History is
ourselves.
I also hold one
or two beliefs that are more difficult to put shortly. For example, I believe
in courtesy, the ritual by which we avoid hurting other people's feelings by
satisfying our own egos and I think we should remember that we are part of a
great whole. All living things are our brothers and sisters. Above all, I
believe in the God-given genius of certain individuals, and I value a society
that makes their existence possible."
The closing words from 'Civilisation a
personal view' by Kenneth Clarke (BBC 1969) Part 13 of 13 - Heroic Materialism.
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