Norman Douglas (1868–1952)
Good-bye to Western Culture: Some Footnotes on East and West (1930)
Why Europe (and especially Britain) is in decline: there are persistent infringements on our freedoms, and we tolerate them. In many ways the Asians show much more sense. Doulas complains about our inconsistent treatment of sexual matters, blackmail, animals, petty regulations, the death penalty etc.
“Europe has lost her smile. Moreover, she is growing smaller than ever; small and explosive and hectic—balkanized. An air of parochial defiance broods over us, signalizing its presence by offensive aggressions upon liberty. Life in this continent must present considerable difficulties just now to a really conscientious person. They who make it their business to evade its laws and conventions whenever possible are on a different plane; they find their existence tolerable, and some of them—one, at all events—would not be sorry if it lasted for ever.”
The source was PG Australia.
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