Nobility arises from and exists by sacrifice, courage, and a clear sense of duty to oneself and society, by expecting due regard for itself as a matter of course; and it shows an equally natural regard for others, whether they are of higher or of lower degree.

We need all along the line to recover the lost sense of quality and a social order based on quality. Quality is the greatest enemy of any kind of mass-levelling. Socially it means the renunciation of all place-hunting, a break with the cult of the "star," an open eye both upwards and downwards, especially in the choice of one's more intimate friends, and pleasure in private life as well as courage to enter public life.

Culturally it means a return from the newspaper and the radio to the book, from feverish activity to unhurried leisure, from dispersion to concentration, from sensationalism to reflection, from virtuosity to art, from snobbery to modesty, from extravagance to moderation. Quantities are competitive, qualities are complementary.

Note Dr. Bonhoeffer’s concern with quality, not equality! We are so worried about equality, i.e., our rights, that we have let slip that virtue of quality that enables us to have equality. It is the quality of our diligence and our commitment that gives us the privilege of equality. It is finite and sinful man who has said we are all equal. From my reading of God’s Word, the only equality I can find is His birth, death, resurrection and love for us all -- and His expectation that we shall be fruitful and loving ourselves because of His compassions for us. I can’t find a thing that promises us the sun and the moon for the demanding.