But, imagine one hundred thousand youths of the
wealthiest, healthiest, and most influential classes passed during each
generation at the most impressionable age, into a sort of ethical mold,
emerging therefrom stamped to the core with the impress of a uniform
morality, uniform manners, uniform way of looking at life; remembering
always that these youths fill seven-eighths of the important positions
in the professional administration of their country and the conduct of
its commercial enterprise; remembering, too, that through perpetual
contact with every other class their standard of morality and way of
looking at life filters down into the very toes of the land. This great
character-forming machine is remarkable for an unself-consciousness
which gives it enormous strength and elasticity. Not inspired by the
State, it inspires the State. The characteristics of the philosophy it
enjoins are mainly negative and, for that, the stronger. "Never show
your feelings--to do so is not manly and bores your fellows. Don't cry
out when you're hurt, making yourself a nuisance to other people. Tell
no tales about your companions, and no lies about yourself.
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