“Savage peoples are ruled by passion, civilized peoples by the mind. The difference lies not in the respective natures of savagery and civilization, but in their attendant circumstances, institutions, and so forth. The difference, therefore, does not operate in every sense, but it does in most of them. Even the most civilized peoples, in short, can be fired with passionate hatred for each other.” MindDoeLyingPassionDifferencesCircumstancesCivilizationHatredInstitutionsPassionateCivilizedSavagesSavagery Author:Carl von Clausewitz
“Alexander the Great changed a few boundaries and killed a few men. Both he and Napoleon were forced into fame by circumstances outside of themselves and by currents of the time, but Margaret Sanger made currents and circumstances. When the history of our civilization is written, it will be a biological history and Margaret Sanger will be its heroine.” MenMadeWrittenAtheismChangedCircumstancesCivilizationFameCurrentsPositive AtheismBoundariesHeroines Author:H. G. Wells
“No race has the last word on culture and on civilization. You do not know what the black man is capable of; you do not know what he is thinking and therefore you do not know what the oppressed and suppressed Negro, by virtue of his condition and circumstance, may give to the world as a surprise.” ThinkingKnowsMenWorldGivingMayLastsCultureBlackRaceVirtueConditionsCircumstancesCivilizationCapableSurpriseOppressedLast Words Author:Marcus Garvey
“If I were personally to define religion, I would say that it is a bandage that man has invented to protect a soul made bloody by circumstances. All forms of dogmatic religion should go. The world did without them in the past and can do so again. I cite the great civilizations of China and India.” IfsMenWorldShouldMadeSoulPastFormCan DoCircumstancesCivilizationProtectIndiaChinaBloodyDogmaticCitingBandagesChina And India Author:Theodore Dreiser
“The sign, which says: "Do not, under any circumstances, open this door!" - Of course, I've read it. Why do you think I want it opened?.. To see why they wanted it shut, of course. This exchange contains almost all you need to know about human civilization. At least, those bits of it that are now under the sea, fenced off or still smoking.” ThinkingKnowsWantNeedsHumansStillsWantedCoursesBitsDoorsSeaCircumstancesCivilizationSmokingHuman CivilizationRidcully Author:Terry Pratchett
“I worry about younger generations who were born to view their country trampling on humanity of everyone that comes in its way, as the 'normal state of affairs" - because they knew no other. We know how easy it is to shed, under such circumstances, the thin and frail veneer of civilization, not to mention the moral standards of which the Jews were presumed to be the world's teachers.” KnowsWorldWayCountryStatesHumanityEasyBornViewsMoralWorryKnow HowTeacherGenerationsCircumstancesCivilizationNormalStandardsAffairJewShedFrailYounger GenerationVeneer Author:Zygmunt Bauman
“Well, right now, I'm very fascinated with 1920s Berlin. I mean, probably the more interesting thing would be to go to the beginning of civilization or precivilization - like polytheistic times. It would be interesting to see what came before modern religion and culture - what circumstances created the environment or the need for it.” NeedsWellsMeanWould BeCultureInterestingEnvironmentModernCircumstancesCivilizationRight NowFascinatedInteresting ThingsBerlin Author:Natalie Portman
“Barbarianism is the natural state of mankind. Civilization is unnatural. It is the whim of circumstance. And barbarianism must ultimately triumph” StatesNaturalMankindCircumstancesCivilizationTriumphUnnaturalWhim Author:Robert E. Howard
“Civilization is in a race between education and catastrophe. Let us learn the truth and spread it as far and wide as our circumstances allow. For the truth is the greatest weapon we have.” RaceCircumstancesCivilizationTruth IsWeaponsSpreadWideCatastropheTeaching Learning Author:H. G. Wells