"Public opinion, a vulgar, impertinent, anonymous tyrant who deliberately makes life unpleasant for anyone who is not content to the average person"

This quote by William Ralph Inge speaks with the power of public opinion and how it can be a dictatorial force in our lives. He suggests that public opinion is a "repulsive, impertinent, confidential autocrat" that can make life unpleasant for anybody who does not adhere to the average person. Inge is recommending that popular opinion can be an effective and overbearing force that can make it challenging for individuals to reveal themselves and be their real selves. He is also recommending that public opinion can be a kind of control, as it can be used to control individuals into conforming to the norms of society. Inge's quote talks to the power of public opinion and how it can be used to manage and oppress people. It is a suggestion that we must be aware of the power of popular opinion and how it can be used to manipulate and manage us.