Quote by Octavio Paz

The North American system only wants to consider the positive aspects of reality. Men and women are subjected from childhood to an inexorable process of adaptation; certain principles, contained in brief formulas are endlessly repeated by the Press, the radio, the churches, and the schools, and by those kindly, sinister beings, the North American mothers and wives. A person imprisoned by these schemes is like a plant in a flowerpot too small for it: he cannot grow or mature.

Summary

This quote suggests that the North American system tends to only focus on the positive aspects of reality while disregarding the negative ones. The process of adaptation become ingrained in individuals from childhood, as they are constantly subjected to specific principles propagated by various institutions such as the media, religion, education, and even by the influential figures of North American mothers and wives. As a result, individuals become trapped within these societal expectations that restrict their growth and development, comparing it to a plant in a small flowerpot that cannot reach its full potential.