Quote by Leo Tolstoy

At one time,' Golenishchev continued, either not observing or not willing to observe that both Anna and Vronsky wanted to speak, 'at one time a freethinker was a man who had been brought up in the conception of religion, law, and morality, who reached freethought only after conflict and difficulty. But now a new type of born freethinkers has appeared, who grow up without so much as hearing that there used to be laws of morality, or religion, that authorities existed. They grow up in ideas of negation in everything -- in other words, utter savages.

Summary

In this quote, Golenishchev reflects upon the changing nature of freethinkers. He suggests that in the past, freethinkers emerged from a background where they were introduced to religious, moral, and legal principles before freely questioning and embracing new ideas. However, Golenishchev observes that a new generation of freethinkers is emerging, who grow up without any awareness or exposure to concepts of morality or religion. He describes them as "utter savages" due to their inclination towards negating or rejecting established norms, without the previous struggles and conflicts that older freethinkers experienced.