Civilisation : Its Cause and Cure 



superiority over others, and become convinced 

 of our entire indefensibleness, that the world opens 

 out with comrade faces in all directions ; and 

 when we perceive how entirely arbitrary is the 

 setting of our own life, that the whole structure 

 collapses on which our apartness from others 

 rests, and we pass easily and at once into the great 

 ocean of freedom and equality. 



This is, as it were, a new departure for man, 

 for which even to-day the old world, overlaid with 

 myriad customs now brought into obvious and 

 open conflict with each other, is evidently preparing. 

 The period of human infancy is coming to an 

 end. Now comes the time of manhood and true 

 vitality. 



Possibly this is a law of history, that when 

 man has run through every variety of custom a 

 time comes for him to be freed from it — that is, 

 he uses it indifferently according to his require- 

 ments, and is no longer a slave to it ; all human 

 practices find their use, and none are forbidden. 

 At this point, whenever reached, " morals " come 

 to an end and humanity takes its place — that is to 

 say, there is no longer any code of action, but 

 the one object of all action is the deliverance of 

 the human being and the establishment of equality 

 between oneself and another, the entry into a new 

 life, which new life when entered into is glad and 

 perfect, because there is no more any effort or 

 strain in it ; but it is the recognition of oneself 

 in others, eternally. 



Far as custom has carried man from man, 

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