Few people can resist doing what is universally expected of them. This invisible pressure is more difficult to stand against than individual tyranny. - Charles Dudley Warner

It is fortunate that each generation does not comprehend its own ignorance. We are thus enabled to call our ancestors barbarous.

Public opinion is stronger than the legislature, and nearly as strong as the Ten Commandments.

One cause of the decay of the power of defense in a state, says the Athenian Stranger in Plato's Laws — one cause is the love of wealth, which wholly absorbs men and never for a moment allows them to think of anything but their private possessions; on this the soul of every citizen hangs suspended, and can attend to nothing but his daily gain; mankind are ready to learn any branch of knowledge and to follow any pursuit which tends to this end, and they laugh at any other; that is the reason why a city will not be in earnest about war or any other good and honorable pursuit.