1,222 Quotes About Civilization

The beliefs of the people should adapt to new ideas, instead of new ideas adjusting to old beliefs.

in pursuit of human happiness we have turned this planet into a bonfire and people aren't even happy

Rome fell silently to ruins. A New city rose in its place, and it was too erased by emptiness. Like phantom Giants, cities, kingdoms, and countries swiftly fell and disappeared into emptiness-- swallowed up in the black maw of the Infinite

The necessity, then, of those “lesser breeds without the law”—those wogs, barbarians, niggers—is this: one must not become more free, not become more base than they: must not be used as they are used, nor yet use them as their abandonment allows one to use them: therefore, they must be civilized. But, when they are civilized, they may simply “spuriously imitate [the civilizer] back again,” leaving the civilizer with no satisfaction on which to rest.

The mythic voice rising from literature and art allows us to be humane. We are not humane because of political power, or education, or even religion. We are humane because we recognize the humanity of others. The writer and the artist appeal to that humanity. For that reason, literature and art are the bones of civilization.

A person who knows nothing about literature may be an ignoramus, but many people don't mind being that.

Only when we stand unafraid to bleed all over our being with a genuine, unconflicted, uncorrupted, unselfish desire for good, will we be the founder of a civilized planet.

If you want civilization, be the epitome of civilization - if you want democracy, be the epitome of democracy - if you want humanity, be the epitome of humanity. Go on saying - "I am civilization, I am democracy, I am humanity".

Vast migrations of people -some voluntary, most not- have shaped the human condition. More of us flee from war, oppression and famine today than at any other time in human history.