We have become so autonomous that we have lost the capacity ... - Philip Rieff

"We have become so autonomous that we have lost the capacity for genuine obedience."

Philip Rieff Philosophy

Sociologist Critic American 1922–2006

More from Philip Rieff

"The pleasure of the text is not the pleasure of the person who consumes culture."

"Culture is the effort to hold back the aggressive and pathological forces of human nature."

"Every culture is a religion, whether or not its members know it."

"The highest achievements of consciousness are in withdrawal from the world."

"I've seen the worst humanity has to offer."

"Sometimes I wonder if the world is worth saving."

"Every choice shapes our destiny."

"Order is the foundation of a good life."