The idea that man is a tabula rasa, or Mao's sheet of blank paper upon which the most beautiful characters can be written, is an old one with disastrous implications. I do not think though that the cults you mention could survive honest thought about human nature.

Equality of Ugliness: If we can't all live in a beautiful place we must all live in an ugly place.

The need always to lie and always to avoid the truth stripped everyone of what Custine called 'the two greatest gifts of God-the soul and the speech which communicates it.' People became hypocritical, cunning, mistrustful, cynical, silent, cruel, and indifferent to the fate of others as a result of the destruction of their own souls.

The bravest and most noble are not those who take up arms, but those who are decent despite everything; who improve what it is in their power to improve, but do not imagine themselves to be saviours. In their humble struggle is true heroism.

A curious reversal in the locus of moral concern has taken place: people feel responsible for everything except for what they do.

There is nothing that an intellectual less likes to change than his mind, or a politician his policy.

When every benefit received is a right, there is no place for good manners, let alone for gratitude.