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Charles A. Reich

Charles A. Reich Quotes

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“Consciousness I could not grasp, or could not accept, the reality that the individual was no longer competing against the success of other individuals, but against a system...It could not understand the crucial point that collective action against corporate power would not have been a step toward collectivization, but an effort to preserve democracy in a society that had already been collectivized.”

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Book:The Greening of America, 25th Anniversary Edition
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“Consciousness I proved unable to change with the changing realities of America. Today it still sees America as if it were a world of small towns and simple virtues. Invention and machinery and production are the equivalent of progress; material success ids the road to happiness, nature is beautiful but must be conquered and put to use. Competition is the law of nature and man; life is a harsh pursuit of individual self-interest. Consciousness I believes that the American dream is still possible, and that success is determined by character, morality, hard work, and self-denial. It does not accept that organizations predominate individuals in American life, or that social problems are due to something other than bad character, or that the possibility of individual success, based on ability and enterprise is largely out of date.”

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Book:The Greening Of America. How The Youth Revolution
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“Not only would Americans have no understanding of the dangers of industrialism; no culture, tradition, social order, or inner knowledge of self by which to guide industrial values and choose among them...Divided up into individual units defined by self-interest, they had no way of thinking for the common good, or thinking ahead, and the anti-intellectual and sometimes childish tendency of Americans to not think at all allowed them to rest easy in this posture”

Politics Of The United StatesGreening Of America
Book:The Greening of America, 25th Anniversary Edition
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“One of the central aspects of Consciousness II is an acceptance of the priority of institutions, organizations, and society and a belief that the individual must tie his destiny to something of this sort, larger than himself, and subordinate his will to it...He sees his own life and career in terms of progress within a society and within an institution. An established hierarchy and settled procedures are seen as necessary and valuable. Achievements by character and hard work is translated into achievement in terms of meritocracy of education, technical knowledge, and position.”

Greening Of America
Book:The Greening of America, 25th Anniversary Edition
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