Problems, Problems

"A social problem is what the public calls one," said Keast, with the patience of a man who had explained this to ministers. "I measure the calling. If I don't, a housing officer does it with a feeling. I have made friction countable, Dr Voss. I have never pretended to be a poet about it."

"Mills said that kind of sociology becomes the accumulation of facts for the purpose of facilitating administrative decisions."

"Mills was a very fine writer and a very poor civil servant." He folded the handkerchief into exact quarters. "Some of us have to make the decisions the writers comment on."

It was a good answer. That was the trouble with it. You had given the same one, in a different building, with tenure behind you, and believed it.