Someone once put it very vividly in a single sentence, distinguishing between civilization and barbarism—
A barbarian used his hands to eat meat, then wiped them on an animal hide afterward.
A civilized person used a knife and fork to eat meat, then dabbed them on a napkin afterward.
Was there any fundamental difference between them?
Actually, there wasn't. Eating meat was eating meat. No matter how refined or elegant you were while eating it, you were helping the original owner of the meat in your mouth.
You were eating meat. No one could change that fact.
Yet this was a necessary stage in the development and advancement of civilized society. The law had bestowed a sense of shame upon people when they "ate meat," and only then could they act so civilized, making themselves appear so harmless.
What was worth noting here was that they did not put on this appearance for capitalists of the same level, but for the Lower-Middle Class.
"Although we eat meat, we aren't barbarians."
Strangely enough, under capitalism's indoctrination, the Lower-Middle Class had already adapted to this absurdly foolish rule. They could actually ignore the essence of what was happening and follow the script written for them by the capitalists.
But that was the Federation. Everywhere, it reeked of the capitalists' "air of conspiracy." Everywhere was full of lies!
"Anna told me she learned a great deal from you." Mr. Patu shook Lin Qi's hand, then the two of them moved aside and began chatting.
Everyone here wore a Saint and Harmony Society badge on their chest. Lin Qi had one too, but his was the badge of a first-level member.
There were rules governing promotion within the Saint and Harmony Society. It wasn't that you could be promoted simply because you had belonged