Is America Safe for Democracy?: Six Lectures Given at the Lowell Institute of Boston, Under the Title "Anthropology and History, Or The Influence of Anthropologic Constitution on the Destinies of Nations,"

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C. Scribner's Sons, 1921 - 218 pages
 

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Page 76 - It is the addition of strangeness to beauty, that constitutes the romantic character in art; and the desire of beauty being a fixed element in every artistic organization, it is the addition of curiosity to this desire of beauty, that constitutes the romantic temper.
Page 167 - Their dullness seems to be racial, or at least inherent in the family stocks from which they come...
Page v - As I watch the American nation speeding gaily, with invincible optimism, down the road to destruction, I seem to be contemplating the greatest tragedy in the history of mankind.
Page 170 - It is a conservative estimate to declare that 2 per cent, of public-school children are distinctly feebleminded ; . . . the most extensive study ... of an entire school system of 2,000 has shown that 2 per cent, of such children are so mentally defective as to preclude any possibility of their ever being made normal and able to take care of themselves as adults.
Page 172 - In this one profession, then, which makes such great and increasing demands on both the intellectual and the moral qualities of its members, the demand for A and B men steadily increases ; and the supply in all probability is steadily diminishing with each generation. And what is taking place in this one profession is, it would seem, taking place in all the great professions and higher callings. Our civilization, by reason of its increasing complexity, is making constantly increasing demands upon...
Page 111 - The preponderance of dynastic attachment, and the use of \ a dynasty as the indispensable cement to hold together a definite portion of the nation calling itself by the name of the dynasty is a specific peculiarity of the German Empire.
Page 66 - Of the children of superior social status, about 10 per cent reached 120 or better. The 120-140 group is made up almost entirely of children whose parents belong to the professional or very successful business classes. The child of a skilled laborer belongs here occasionally, the child of a common laborer very rarely indeed. At least this is true in the smaller cities of California among populations made up of native-born Americans.
Page 54 - It may be suggested that the native inferiority of the colored in respect of this quality (intelligence) is an evil effect of the cross-breeding of these two widely dissimilar races. That is a possibility. But facts are strongly against it. First, the colored men of the Northern States showed distinct superiority to those of the South, in respect of their performance in the army intelligence-tests. Have they not a larger proportion of white blood? I do not know, but I suspect it. Secondly, we have...
Page 84 - ... in spite of which they may remain cheerful, active, and interested in the world. The introvert, on the other hand, is slow and reserved in the expression of his emotions. He has difficulty in adequately expressing himself. His nervous and mental energies, instead of flowing out freely to meet and play upon the outer world, seem apt to turn inward, determining him to brooding, reflection, deliberation before action.
Page 85 - The Nordic race is constitutionally introvert ; it is strong in the instinct of curiosity, the root of wonder ; weak in the herd instinct, the root of sociability. In the Mediterranean race these peculiarities are reversed ; it is extrovert, weak in curiosity, strong in sociability.

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