Man Should Be Forbidden the Possibility…

There! Now I cannot get rid of the memory of the fellow dancing with a harp under the applause of the audience. Man should be forbidden the possibility of collective demonstration. No doubt such a measure would bury at least half the world’s problems. Something inexplicable happens when man mixes—and annuls—himself in a collectivity. A collectivity, even if formed by intelligent men, is always stupid. This has already been noted, I do not know whether by Nelson, O’Neill or Wilde. Perhaps by Ibsen, and more likely by all four. Man, in a group, should only act as in orchestras where applause is forbidden and the verb is worth expulsion.