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Quote by Johan Huizinga

“Life is made too easy. Mankind's moral fibre is giving way under the softening influence of luxury.”

Author

Dutch historian known for his research in cultural and art history. Johan Huizinga was born on December 7, 1872, and died on February 1, 1945. His works have had a profound impact on subsequent historical and sociological studies. more

“Science, unguided by a higher abstract principle, freely hands over its secrets to a vastly developed and commercially inspired technology, and the latter, even less restrained by a supreme culture saving principle, with the means of science creates all the instruments of power demanded from it by the organization of Might.”

Mean Hands Might Science Culture Secret Principles Technology Higher Organization Instruments Inspired Supreme Saving Abstract Latter Over It

Author:Johan Huizinga

“Culture means control over nature.”

Mean Culture Nature

Author:Johan Huizinga

“It is an evil world. The fires of hatred and violence burn fiercely. Evil is powerful, the devil covers a darkened earth with hisblack wings. And soon the end of the world is expected. But mankind does not repent, the church struggles, and the preachers and poets warn and lament in vain.”

World Doe Ends Earth Evil Church Powerful Struggle Fire Violence Mankind Poet Devil Hatred Wings Expected Vain Preacher Repent End Of The World Lament Evil World

Author:Johan Huizinga

“Barbarisation may be defined as a cultural process whereby an attained condition of high value is gradually overrun and supersededby elements of lower quality.”

May Values Process Quality Conditions Elements Defined Decay

Author:Johan Huizinga

“Culture requires in the first place a certain balance of material and spiritual values.”

Firsts Spiritual Certain Values Culture Materials Balance Spiritual Values

Author:Johan Huizinga

“Today the average inhabitant of the western hemisphere knows a little of everything. He has the newspaper on his breakfast table and wireless within reach. For the evening there is the film, cards, or a meeting to complete a day spent in the office or factory where nothing that is essential has been learnt. With slight variation this picture of a low cultural average holds good over the entire range from factory-hand of clerk to manager or director. Only the personal will to culture, in whatever field and however pursued raises modern man above this level.”

“William James once said: "Progress is a terrible thing." It is more than that: it is also a highly ambiguous notion. For who knowsbut that a little further on the way a bridge may not have collapsed or a crevice split the earth?”

Way May Littles Said Earth Progress Terrible Notion Bridges Splits Terrible Things Ambiguous Crevice

Author:Johan Huizinga

“If the Americans, in addition to the eagle and the Stars and Stripes and the more unofficial symbols of bison, moose and Indian, should ever need another emblem, one which is friendly and pleasant, then I think they should choose the grapefruit. Or rather the half grapefruit, for this fruit only comes in halves, I believe. Practically speaking, it is always yellow, always just as fresh and well served. And it always comes at the same, still hopeful hour of the morning.”

Ifs Thinking Needs Should Believe Wells Stills America I Believe Stars Hours Half Morning Fruit Symbols Indian Pleasant Hopeful Friendly Yellow Eagles Stripes Emblems Moose Grapefruit Bison

Author:Johan Huizinga

“Most thoughtful Americans of today seem to have forgotten how strongly their own and immediate predecessors, Emerson, Hawthorne and Whitman, were still preoccupied with the essence behind things.”

Stills Seems Today America Behinds Essence Forgotten Thoughtful Predecessors Hawthorne

Author:Johan Huizinga

Quote by Johan Huizinga

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