"Each new generation born is in effect an invasion of civilization by little barbarians, who must be civilized before it is too late"

Thomas Sowell draws a vivid image of societal renewal by equating the arrival of each new generation with an "invasion" of "little barbarians". The term “barbarian” here refers not to actual hostility or danger, but to a state of untamed nature, raw impulses, and the absence of the social conditioning and cultural norms that define a civilized society. Children enter the world with their instincts unshaped, their behaviors unconstrained by the learned ethics, manners, and values held by the society around them.

Civilization, from this perspective, is not innate. It is the result of conscious, continuous effort. Each child has the potential to either enrich or undermine the societal order, depending on how well they are socialized and educated. The phrase "before it is too late" warns of the consequences if these efforts at socialization fail: society risks being eroded from within as new members, not imbued with its principles, act on impulse rather than shared values. Sowell underscores the precariousness and fragility of civilization. It is not a given, but a heritage that must be actively passed along through family upbringing, formal education, and communal participation.

By casting the younger generation as “invaders,” he also alludes to the perennial tension between the older and the younger, the established and the new. What sustains civilization is neither mere tradition nor simple adaptation, but the balance between passing on enduring values and equipping children to navigate current realities. The civilizing process, therefore, is both a shield and a transmission belt: it protects civilization from chaos and ensures its continuity.

Ultimately, Sowell’s metaphor is a call to vigilance and responsibility. It underscores the duty of adults to guide, instruct, and sometimes constrain, not out of hostility to youthful energy but out of recognition that without discipline and guidance, the foundations of civilized life are always at risk from the ignorance of the unformed.