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Wherever an altar is found, there civilization exists.
Joseph De Maistre
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Civilization is marked by the presence of shared beliefs and values, symbolized by altars.

This quote suggests that civilization is not just about technological advancements or structures, but also about the shared faith, morals, and values of a society that are often symbolized by altars. Altars represent the sacredness of community, reflecting the beliefs that hold people together, thus indicating that wherever these spiritual or existential markers exist, so too does the essence of civilization itself.

Themes

CivilizationAltarBeliefsValuesCommunity

In practice

Example use cases

In a speech about the importance of cultural heritage, one might refer to this quote to emphasize shared community values.

More from Joseph De Maistre

Man, in spite of his fatal degradation, bears always the evident marks of his divine origin, in that every universal belief is always more or less true.
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Man is insatiable for power; he is infantile in his desires and, always discontented with what he has, loves only what he has not. People complain of the despotism of princes; they ought to complain of the despotism of man.
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A constitution that is made for all nations is made for none.
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False opinions are like false money, struck first of all by guilty men and thereafter circulated by honest people who perpetuate the crime without knowing what they are doing.
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Reason speaks in words alone, but love has a song.
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Man in harmony with his Creator is sublime, and his action is creative; equally, once he separates himself from God and acts alone, he does not cease to be powerful, since this is the privilege of his nature, but his acts are negative and lead only to destruction.
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