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The whole history of civilization is strewn with creeds and institutions which were invaluable at first, and deadly afterwards
Walter Bagehot
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Civilization's progress often involves ideas and institutions that become harmful over time.

Walter Bagehot's quote reflects on the evolution of civilization, emphasizing that many beliefs and systems that initially served a vital purpose can later become detrimental. This highlights the need for continuous evaluation of our structures and ideologies, as what once contributed to societal growth can become obsolete or even harmful if not reassessed in light of changing circumstances.

Themes

CivilizationCreedsInstitutionsEvolutionChange

In practice

Example use cases

In a lecture on societal progress, one might say, 'As Walter Bagehot observed, the history of civilization is strewn with creeds and institutions which were invaluable at first, and deadly afterwards.'

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Efficiency in an assembly requires a solid mass of steady votes; and these are collected by a deferential attachment to particular men, or by a belief in the principles that those men represent, and they are maintained by fear of those men - by the fear that if you vote against them, you may soon yourself have no vote at all.
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Life is a compromise of what your ego wants to do, what experience tells you to do, and what your nerves let you do.
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The most melancholy of human reflections, perhaps, is that, on the whole, it is a question whether the benevolence of mankind does most good or harm.
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