《乌合之众·第二编·群体的意见与信念·群体意见的直接因素》第10节
"If one destroyed in museums and libraries, if one hurled down on the flagstones before the churches all the works and all the monuments of art that religions have inspired, what would remain of the great dreams of humanity? To give to men that portion of hope and illusion without which they cannot live, such is the reason for the existence of gods, heroes, and poets. During fifty years science appeared to undertake this task. But science has been compromised in hearts hungering after the ideal, because it does not dare to be lavish enough of promises, because it cannot lie."[14] [14] Daniel Lesueur. The philosophers of the last century devoted themselves with fervour to the destruction of the religious, political, and social illusions on which our forefathers had lived for a long tale of centuries. By destroying them they have dried up the springs of hope and resignation. Behind the immolated chimeras they came face to face with the blind and silent forces of nature, which are inexorable to weakness and ignore pity.
注释摘要
勒庞在此处引用丹尼尔·勒叙厄尔的这段话，是为了加强他自己刚刚亮出的那个论断——文明建立在幻觉之上，而非理性之上。他要证明的是，群体本能地追求希望与幻觉，谁提供这些，谁就成为他们的主人。美术馆、图书馆、教堂前的雕塑，在他看来都是“人类宏伟梦想”的遗骸，一旦剥离宗教幻象的驱动力，这些东西根本不会存在。这整段引言被他用来充当一个历史心理学的垫脚石：科学曾试图顶替…