The aspect of American society is animated, because men and things are always changing; but it is monotonous, because all the changes are alike.
Interpretation
American society is full of constant change, yet these changes lack diversity and uniqueness.
Alexis De Tocqueville highlights a paradox in American society where there is an illusion of vibrant change due to the constant flux of events and people, but upon closer inspection, these changes are fundamentally similar, leading to a sense of monotony. This suggests that while society appears dynamic on the surface, it can lack depth and variety in its transformations.
In practice
In a discussion about societal trends at a conference on urban development.
Democratic communities have a natural taste for freedom: left to themselves they will seek it, cherish it, and view any deprivation of it with regret. But for equality their passion is ardent, insatiable, incessant, invincible: they call for equality in freedom; and if they cannot obtain that, they still call for equality in slavery.
Religion, which never intervenes directly in the government of American society, should therefore be considered as the first of their political institutions
The surface of American society is covered with a layer of democratic paint, but from time to time one can see the old aristocratic colours breaking through.
The Indian knew how to live without wants, to suffer without complaint, and to die singing.
Grant me thirty years of equal division of inheritances and a free press, and I will provide you with a republic.
When none but the wealthy had watches, they were almost all very good ones; few are now made which are worth much, but everybody has one in his pocket.
Social change involves helping people see new options for making life wonderful that are less costly to get needs met.
If humankind would accept and acknowledge this responsibility and become creatively engaged in the process of evolution, consciously as well as unconsciously, a new reality would emerge, and a new age could be born.
Dying is a matter of slapstick and pratfalls. The ageing process is not gradual or gentle. It rushes up, pushes you over and runs off laughing. No one should grow old who isn't ready to appear ridiculous.
At the beginning of the 60's our country called the foreign workers to come to Germany and now they live in our country. We kidded ourselves a while, we said: 'They won't stay, sometime they will be gone.' But this isn't reality.
We intend to try by every means in our power to seize the country and create a government without bloodshed.
A great revolution in just one single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of a society and, further, will enable a change in the destiny of humankind.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.