Chapter IV: Part III: The Democratic Mind

CHAPTER XI

THE ENLARGEMENT OF CONSCIOUSNESS

Narrowness of Consciousness in Tribal Society—Importance of
Face-to-Face Assembly—Individuality—Subconscious Character
of Wider Relations—Enlargement of Consciousness—Irregularity
in Growth—Breadth of Modern Consciousness—Democracy 107

CHAPTER XII

THE THEORY OF PUBLIC OPINION

Public Opinion as Organization—Agreement Not Essential—Public
Opinion versus Popular Impression—Public Thought
Not an Average—A Group Is Capable of Expression through
Its Most Competent Members—General and Special Public
Opinion—The Sphere of the Former—Of the Latter—The
Two Are United in Personality—How Public Opinion Rules—Effective
Rule Based on Moral Unity 121

CHAPTER XIII

WHAT THE MASSES CONTRIBUTE

The Masses the Initiators of Sentiment—They Live in the Central
Current of Experience—Distinction or Privilege Apt to
Cause Isolation—Institutional Character of Upper Classes—The
Masses Shrewd Judges of Persons—This the Main
Ground for Expecting that the People Will Be Right in the
Long Run—Democracy Always Representative—Conclusion 135

CHAPTER XIV

DEMOCRACY AND CROWD EXCITEMENT

The Crowd-Theory of Modern Life—The Psychology of Crowds—Modern
Conditions Favor Psychological Contagion—Democracy
a Training in Self-Control—The Crowd Not Always
in the Wrong—Conclusion; the Case of France 149

CHAPTER XV

DEMOCRACY AND DISTINCTION

The Problem—Democracy Should Be Distinguished from
Transition—The Dead-Level Theory of Democracy—Confusion
and Its Effects—“Individualism” May Not Be Favorable
to Distinguished Individuality—Contemporary Uniformity—Relative
Advantages of America and Europe—Haste,
Superficiality, Strain—Spiritual Economy of a Settled
Order—Commercialism—Zeal for Diffusion—Conclusion 157

CHAPTER XVI

THE TREND OF SENTIMENT

Meaning and General Trend of Sentiment—Attenuation—Refinement—Sense
of Justice—Truth as Justice—As Realism
As Expediency—As Economy of Attention—Hopefulness 177

CHAPTER XVII

THE TREND OF SENTIMENT—(CONTINUED)

Nature of the Sentiment of Brotherhood—Favored by Communication
and Settled Principles—How Far Contemporary
Life Fosters It—How Far Uncongenial to It—General Outcome
in this Regard—The Spirit of Service—The Trend of
Manners—Brotherhood in Relation to Conflict—Blame—Democracy
and Christianity 189