"If there are flaws they are in ourselves, and our task therefore must be one not of redesign but of renewal and reaffirmation, especially of the standards in which all of us believe"

This quote by Elliot Richardson speaks to the concept that the defects in our society are not necessarily due to an absence of style, however rather due to a lack of renewal and reaffirmation of the standards we believe in. He is recommending that instead of attempting to upgrade our society, we need to concentrate on restoring and reaffirming the values and requirements that we already have. This might mean taking a closer take a look at the values we hold and how we can better support them in our lives. It might likewise imply taking a stand versus injustice and inequality, and actively working to produce a more fair society. Eventually, Richardson is suggesting that we should focus on the values we already have, and aim to measure up to them in order to develop a much better society.