This piece begins by underscoring a paradox in our society. We tend to believe that progress is desirable and imminent, yet we long for things to be as they once were. We are excited to move forward but are anxious that we have lost something of our past. During the time of the Enlightenment “ancient” thinkers believed that the modern idea of individualism would induce a lack of moral responsibility and social alienation. During the time of the Enlightenment modern thinkers had reasonably concluded that “kings and queens were ordinary mortals”, an idea which (to me) seems like the beginning of a civil rights movement. The idea that human beings were just that: human beings, despite social status and ranking. People could rely on their own sense of reason to decide how to act, while understanding the omnipresence of emotion. One quote that really stood out to me was on page 8: “…writers call attention to the deceptiveness and possible misused of social norms as well as to their necessity…if people examined not only examined their standards of behavior, but also their tendency to hide behind them.” This quote made me think of an essay by Peggy McIntosh “Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack.” Society creates certain structures which segregate people based on social status, race, or culture emotionally and/or physically. People who benefit from certain social norms tend to hide behind them. (Usually unconsciously) I think one of the major revelations of the Enlightenment was the idea of introspection. We must look within ourselves to understand how to change the world. For instance, privileged people need to examine their privilege and be willing to give it up in order for the world to be a better, more enlightened place.