THE INTENTIONAL SHAPING OF HUMAN OPINION 597 



Let me cite a second example. In the middle of the nine- 

 teenth century the peasantry of Denmark were in a fairly 

 deplorable condition. They were ignorant, and economically 

 they were almost bankrupt. An idea was born in the mind 

 of a thinking individual, N. F. S. Grundtvig. It was the idea 

 that what the Danish peasantry needed was responsible 

 inteUigence and that through responsible intelligence they 

 could raise the status of their own and their country's 

 life. But he, too, did not simply preach his behef. He tried 

 the experiment of gathering a group of young men about 

 him and of starting with them the process of self-education. 

 That was the beginning of the Danish Folk High School. 

 Today, in a small country less than half the size of Indiana, 

 there are over sixty of these schools for adults. But what 

 is more noteworthy is that, directly as a result of this 

 ideal developed in the brain of one man and growing stronger 

 through widening circles of followers, the Danish farmer 

 as a class is today probably the most enhghtened, coopera- 

 tive and prosperous in the world. 



VALUE OF CONSTRUCTIVE IDEAS CAPABLE OF 

 EXPERIMENTAL TEST 



These two examples will be sufficient to serve our present 

 purpose, although a number of others might be cited. From 

 these examples it seems possible to assert that intentional 

 reshaping of the basic thought-systems of man can be 

 accomplished. And it also seems clear what factors are 

 essential. Fundamental to the process, apparently, is the pres- 

 ence of an individual with a constructive idea capable of 

 being put to experimental test. 



No doubt the calling forth of such a constructive idea will 

 often be brought about by the exigencies of situations. It is, 

 however, probably untrue to hold that the exigencies of 

 situations will themselves generate new ideas. We seem 

 forced to believe that the thinking and experimenting 

 individual is the prime essential. 



Granted this, and granted also the slow widening of 

 influence, I think we have the clue to the process of inten- 

 tionally reshaping our human behavior-patterns. At the 

 present time, one such reshaping seems to be in its early 



