Liberalism — it is well to recall this today—is the supreme form of generosity; it is the right which the majority concedes to minorities and hence it is the noblest cry that has ever resounded in this planet. It announces the determination to share existence with the enemy; more than that, with an enemy which is weak. It was incredible that the human species should have arrived at so noble an attitude, so paradoxical, so refined, so acrobatic, so anti-natural. Hence, it is not to be wondered at that this same humanity should soon appear anxious to get rid of it. It is a discipline too difficult and complex to take firm root on earth." - Meaning and context.">
Chap. VIII: The Masses Intervene In Everything, And Why Their Intervention Is Solely By Violence
“

Liberalism — it is well to recall this today—is the supreme form of generosity; it is the right which the majority concedes to minorities and hence it is the noblest cry that has ever resounded in this planet. It announces the determination to share existence with the enemy; more than that, with an enemy which is weak. It was incredible that the human species should have arrived at so noble an attitude, so paradoxical, so refined, so acrobatic, so anti-natural. Hence, it is not to be wondered at that this same humanity should soon appear anxious to get rid of it. It is a discipline too difficult and complex to take firm root on earth.

— José Ortega y Gasset

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Liberalism — it is well to recall this today—is the supreme form of generosity; it is the right which the majority concedes to minorities and hence it is the noblest cry that has ever resounded in this planet. It announces the determination to share existence with the enemy; more than that, with an enemy which is weak. It was incredible that the human species should have arrived at so noble an attitude, so paradoxical, so refined, so acrobatic, so anti-natural. Hence, it is not to be wondered at that this same humanity should soon appear anxious to get rid of it. It is a discipline too difficult and complex to take firm root on earth." in the context of "Chap. VIII: The Masses Intervene In Everything, And Why Their Intervention Is Solely By Violence" to mean that wisdom is timeless.

Source: Wikiquote: "José Ortega y Gasset" (Quotes, The Revolt of the Masses (1929): La rebelión de las masas (1929)    Also see The Revolt of the Masses) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
José Ortega y Gasset

About José Ortega y Gasset

José Ortega y Gasset (May 9 1883 – October 18 1955) was a Spanish philosopher.