The Moral Encouragement Needed Now

Casting the rantings and ravings of modern discordant voices aside, I present a useful quote from twentieth century thinker and philosopher, Bertrand Russell. It is from his book of 1917 entitled Political Ideals. The quote shows the emotion Russell had about the need for a certain kind of encouragement by each individual person. And we can ask: Is this requirement for encouragement had by every single person in the world, no matter the nationality? From America to China, to Africa, I think the answer is, Yes.

Whatever else Russell's personal politics may have been, he is on the right track here. And again, one can ask whether the conditions he specifies are available to all now? Clearly the answer in this case is, No. When we think back to the "naughts" (and I do like that designation for the "2000's"), was there not an extreme overlay of fear in America? And in 2003, was there not a tyranny of public opinion blocking any viewpoint other than that favoring war with Iraq?

Here, then, is the quote. I hope it will provide food for thought and future discussion.

In just the same way[,] mental development may be helped or hindered by outside influences. The outside influences that help are those that merely provide encouragement or mental food or opportunities for exercising mental faculties. The influences that hinder are those that interfere with growth by applying any kind of force, whether discipline or authority or fear or the tyranny of public opinion or of the necessity of engaging in some totally uncongenial occupation. Worst of all influences are those that thwart or twist a man's fundamental impulse, which is what shows itself as conscience in the moral sphere; such influences are likely to do a man an inward danger from which he will never recover.