A flourishing civilization seeks wisdom, glorifies heroism, and contemplates wonder. A dying civilization seeks power, glorifies survival, and contemplates confusion. An undead civilization seeks "wellness", glorifies "authenticity", and contemplates "self-expression".

Civilization is the process of substituting liberty for power.

A civilization is glorious in its successes and tragic in its failures. An anti-civilization is terrifying in its successes and spectacular in its failures. A pseudo-civilization is annoying in its successes and ridiculous in its failures.

The collapse of a civilization is a tragedy. The collapse of an anti-civilization is a relief. The collapse of a pseudo-civilization is a formality.

The most prominent members of civilizations are saints, heroes, and geniuses. The most prominent members of anti-civilizations are heretics, dictators, and sophists. The most prominent members of pseudo-civilizations are “trendsetters”, ”entertainers”, and “public intellectuals”.

In order to be good, one needs to be virtuous, not "nice". In order to be true, one needs to be honest, not "authentic". In order to be wise, one needs to be discriminating, not "open-minded". And in order to be civilized, one needs to be principled, not "sophisticated".

Unorganized morality is called sociability. Organized morality is called civilization. Unorganized immorality is called barbarity. Organized immorality is called statism.