Co-operativeness, as an ideal, is defective: it is right to live with reference to the community and not for oneself alone, but living for the community does not mean doing what it does. Suppose you are in a theatre which catches fire, and there is a stampede : the person who has learnt no higher morality than what is called 'co-operation' will join in the stampede since he will possess no inner force that would enable him to stand up against the herd. The psychology of a nation embarking on a war is at all points identical.
Source: Of co-operation (written in May 18, 1932 and pub. in Mortals and Others, v.1, 1975.
More info.:http://russell-j.com/KYORYOKU.HTM
Copyright: (c) Akiyoshi Matsushita (松下彰良) All Rights Reserved.
