Not only do most people accept violence if it is perpetuated by legitimate authority, they also regard violence against certain kinds of people as inherently legitimate, no matter who commits it. Edgar Friedenberg More Quotes by Edgar Friedenberg More Quotes From Edgar Friedenberg What we must decide is how we are valuable rather than how valuable we are. Edgar Friedenberg valuable optimistic self-esteem Human life is a continuous thread which each of us spins to his own pattern, rich and complex in meaning. There are no natural knots in it. Yet knots form, nearly always in adolescence. Edgar Friedenberg patterns teenage life-is It is idle to talk of civil liberties to adults who were systematically taught in adolescence that they had none; and it is sheer hypocrisy to call such people freedom loving. Edgar Friedenberg liberty hypocrisy people All weakness tends to corrupt, and impotence corrupts absolutely. Edgar Friedenberg impotence weakness Canadians are more polite when they are being rude than Americans are when they are being friendly. Edgar Friedenberg being-rude rude friendly Every major industrial society believes that it has a serious youth problem. Edgar Friedenberg youth serious believe If a people have no word for something, either it does not matter to them or it matters too much to talk about. Edgar Friedenberg matter doe people In a world as empirical as ours, a youngster who does not know what he is good at will not be sure what he is good for. Edgar Friedenberg youngsters doe world Juvenile delinquency serves many purposes, including that of providing sadistic adults with fantasies suited to their special tastes. Edgar Friedenberg adults special evil The teenager seems to have replaced the Communist as the appropriate target for public controversy and foreboding. Edgar Friedenberg target teenage inspirational No American is prepared to attend his own funeral without the services of highly skilled cosmeticians. Part of the American dream, after all, is to live long and die young. Edgar Friedenberg funeral dream long So much of learning to be an American is learning not to let your individuality become a nuisance. Edgar Friedenberg nuisance democratic individuality Part of the American dream is to live long and die young. Edgar Friedenberg young dream long The examined life has always been pretty well confined to a privileged class. Edgar Friedenberg examined-life wells class It takes a kind of shabby arrogance to survive in our time, and a fairly romantic nature to want to. Edgar Friedenberg arrogance kind want Only science can hope to keep technology in some sort of moral order. Edgar Friedenberg moral technology order Adolescents tend to be passionate people, and passion is no less real because it is directed toward a hot-rod, a commercialized popular singer, or the leader of a black-jacketed gang. Edgar Friedenberg passion real people What is learned in high school, or for that matter anywhere at all, depends far less on what is taught than on what one actually experiences in the place. Edgar Friedenberg taught matter school Most Americans would say that they disapproved of violence. But what they really mean is that they believe it should be the monopoly of the state. Edgar Friedenberg violence mean believe Romance, like alcohol, should be enjoyed but must not be allowed to become necessary. Edgar Friedenberg romance alcohol should