--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our progress in degeneracy appears to me…" description: "\"Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid.\" — Abraham Lincoln" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f75/abraham-lincoln-88_growth_our-progress-in-degeneracy-appears-to-me_642907.png" --- # Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid. ![“Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid.” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f75/abraham-lincoln-88_growth_our-progress-in-degeneracy-appears-to-me_642907.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f75/abraham-lincoln-88_growth_our-progress-in-degeneracy-appears-to-me_642907.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f75/abraham-lincoln-88_growth_our-progress-in-degeneracy-appears-to-me_642907.png) > “Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid.” [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Societal decline is accelerating rapidly. **In simple terms:** Degeneracy spreads fast. Key Takeaway Address moral decay. Themes society decline morality Mood concerned urgent Type political philosophical When to use this quote - public policy - education reform - community building - media influence Key Concepts ethics political philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What signs of decline do you see? - How can individuals counteract societal decay? A Different Perspective Change can be resisted by entrenched interests. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Degeneracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/degeneracy-978195/) [Degeneracy Appears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/degeneracy-appears-5158015/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Pretty Rapid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretty-rapid-5158016/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [Progress Degeneracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress-degeneracy-1025673/) [Rapids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rapids/) ## Related quotes > [“Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid. As a nation, we began by declaring that 'all men are created equal.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/our-progress-in-degeneracy-appears-to-me-to-be-pretty-rapid-as-a/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [When I see the worsening degeneracy in our politicians, our media, our educators, and our intelligentsia, I can't help wondering if the day may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/when-i-see-the-worsening-degeneracy-in-our-politicians-our-media-our/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Mental degeneracy may be caused by lead poisoning. Or by a poor dip in the gene pool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/mental-degeneracy-may-be-caused-by-lead-poisoning-or-by-a-poor-dip-in/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [“If God meant to interfere in the degeneracy of mankind would he not have done so by now?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/if-god-meant-to-interfere-in-the-degeneracy-of-mankind-would-he-not-2/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [“Your authority and my degeneracy are one in the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/your-authority-and-my-degeneracy-are-one-in-the-same/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [Those who compare the age in which their lot has fallen with a golden age which exists only in imagination, may talk of degeneracy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/those-who-compare-the-age-in-which-their-lot-has-fallen-with-a-golden/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [The hippies had in mind something that they wanted, and were calling it freedom, but in the final analysis freedom is a purely negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/the-hippies-had-in-mind-something-that-they-wanted-and-were-calling/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [The ruin of a State is generally preceded by an universal degeneracy of manners and contempt of religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/the-ruin-of-a-state-is-generally-preceded-by-an-universal-degeneracy/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [Every general increase of freedom is accompanied by some degeneracy, attributable to the same causes as the freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-horton-cooley/every-general-increase-of-freedom-is-accompanied-by-some-degeneracy/) [Charles Horton Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-horton-cooley/) > [Degeneracy follows every autocratic system of violence, for violence inevitably attracts moral inferiors. Time has proven that illustrious tyrants are succeeded by scoundrels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/degeneracy-follows-every-autocratic-system-of-violence-for-violence/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Those who wallow around in the sickness of their immorality and degeneracy get very little joy out of life here and certainly not much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-w-sill/those-who-wallow-around-in-the-sickness-of-their-immorality-and/) [Sterling W Sill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-w-sill/) > [“Degeneracy is the only freedom fascism allows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-vassi/degeneracy-is-the-only-freedom-fascism-allows/) [Marco Vassi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-vassi/) > [But in all despotic governments, though a particular prince may favour arts and letter, there is a natural degeneracy of mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/but-in-all-despotic-governments-though-a-particular-prince-may-favour/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [The defenders of decent society and the disciples of degeneracy are often the same people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-carr/the-defenders-of-decent-society-and-the-disciples-of-degeneracy-are/) [Caleb Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-carr/) > [“The degeneracy of mankind is distinguished from its uprise by the dominance of chill abstractions, divorced from aesthetic content.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-degeneracy-of-mankind-is-distinguished-from-its-uprise-by-the/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) ## More by Abraham Lincoln > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-that-i-am-or-ever-hope-to-be-i-owe-to-my-angel-mother/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/while-the-people-retain-their-virtue-and-vigilance-no-administration/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Let us at all times remember that all American citizens are brothers of a common country, and should dwell together in bonds of fraternal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/let-us-at-all-times-remember-that-all-american-citizens-are-brothers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If you wish to be a lawyer, attach no consequence to the place you are in, or the person you are with; but get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/if-you-wish-to-be-a-lawyer-attach-no-consequence-to-the-place-you-are/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [As we keep or break the Sabbath Day we nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope by which man rises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/as-we-keep-or-break-the-sabbath-day-we-nobly-save-or-meanly-lose-the/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Tell the truth and you won't have so much to remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/tell-the-truth-and-you-won-t-have-so-much-to-remember/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [With high hope for the future, no prediction is ventured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/with-high-hope-for-the-future-no-prediction-is-ventured/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We know, Southern men declare that their slaves are better off than hired laborers amongst us. How little they know, whereof they speak! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-know-southern-men-declare-that-their-slaves-are-better-off-than/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I am glad to see that a system of labor prevails under which laborers can strike when they want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-am-glad-to-see-that-a-system-of-labor-prevails-under-which-laborers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I don't like that man. I must get to know him better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-don-t-like-that-man-i-must-get-to-know-him-better/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [In this sad world of ours, sorrow comes to all; and to the young, it comes with bitterest agony because it takes them unawares.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/in-this-sad-world-of-ours-sorrow-comes-to-all-and-to-the-young-it/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The man does not live who is more devoted to peace than I am. None who would do more to preserve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-man-does-not-live-who-is-more-devoted-to-peace-than-i-am-none-who/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) [Explore all 1,437 Abraham Lincoln quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## More Growth quotes > [My coach, Robert Allen, helped me a lot. He had more influence on my growth as a player than anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamarcus-aldridge/my-coach-robert-allen-helped-me-a-lot-he-had-more-influence-on-my/) [LaMarcus Aldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamarcus-aldridge/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. 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Some of the new products were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-a-hudson/economic-growth-continued-by-means-of-a-succession-of-new-products/) [Edward A. Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-a-hudson/) > [“To engage in dialogue is to serve others via whatever is real inside you; to engage in debate is to ultimately serve the illusions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oli-anderson/to-engage-in-dialogue-is-to-serve-others-via-whatever-is-real-inside/) [Oli Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oli-anderson/) > [If you learn something that changes you, you've made progress. If you learn something that changes others, you've helped change the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lanie-lane/if-you-learn-something-that-changes-you-you-ve-made-progress-if-you/) [Lanie Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lanie-lane/) > [“SILENT LIKE SLEEP You appear by my side, silent like sleep. Soft hair, a little wild. No fear, gentle like a calm river. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-goddard/silent-like-sleep-you-appear-by-my-side-silent-like-sleep-soft-hair-a/) [Donna Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-goddard/) > [Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed; and it is consolatory to think, that although we can seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/friendship-the-wine-of-life-should-like-a-well-stocked-cellar-be/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [He who is content with what has been done is an obstacle in the path of progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/he-who-is-content-with-what-has-been-done-is-an-obstacle-in-the-path/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [“There is no growth without risk. 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