“There is no democracy in the world of intellect, and no democracy of taste.”
A Voice from the Attic (1960)
Kalki : or The Future of Civilization (1929)
Context: Democracy has become confused with ignorance, lack of discipline, and low tastes … Though educational facilities are within the reach of large numbers, the level of culture is not high. It has become more easy to get into a college and more difficult to get educated. We are taught to read but not trained to think … Those who know better are afraid to speak out but keep step with the average mind. Uncivilized mass-impulses, crowd emotions and class-resentments have taken the place of authority and tradition.
“There is no democracy in the world of intellect, and no democracy of taste.”
A Voice from the Attic (1960)
“The purpose of bureaucracy is to compensate for incompetence and lack of discipline.”
Source: Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't
“The tighter the discipline of an art form, the more subjective the criteria of taste.”
Source: Demon Princes (1964-1981), The Star King (1964), Chapter 7 (p. 79)
“Egotist, n. A person of low taste, more interested in himself than in me.”
The Devil's Dictionary (1911)
Source: The Unabridged Devil's Dictionary
Source: Give Me Liberty! (1998), Ch. 21 : The Theft of Our Voice, p. 258
Context: The Internet has become the phenomenon of the new century. It has become the voice of the people in the first genuine experiment in democracy yet conducted in America. It stands ready to serve every facet, every faction. It creates neighbors where once we were foreigners. It carries our individual voices to new communities formed through the magic of electronics.
The electronic village has been born, and the village voice, via the internet is being heard.