Although images of perfection in people's personal lives can cause unhappiness, images of perfect societies - utopian images - can cause monstrous evil. In fact, forcefully changing society to conform to societal images was the greatest cause of evil in the twentieth century.

Summary

This quote suggests that while idealized versions of personal lives can lead to discontentment, the pursuit of perfect societies or utopian visions can result in much more profound evils. The quote goes on to state that forcefully attempting to transform society to fit these idealized images has been the primary cause of immense harm and atrocities throughout the twentieth century. In essence, the quote highlights the dangers of imposing rigid societal standards and utopian ideals, emphasizing the potential for them to spark catastrophic consequences.

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