However fiercely opposed one may be to the present order, an old respect for the idea of order itself often prevents people from distinguishing between order and those who stand for order, and leads them in practice to respect individuals under the pretext of respecting order itself.

Summary

This quote highlights the paradoxical nature of challenging an existing order. It suggests that individuals who strongly oppose the current system often still hold a deep-rooted reverence for the concept of order. As a result, they may struggle to differentiate between the idea of order and those who represent and enforce it, leading them to show respect towards individuals merely based on their association with maintaining order. This observation reflects how our sentiments for stability and structure can sometimes cloud our judgement when it comes to questioning and scrutinizing authority figures.

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