--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We used to build temples, and museums are…" description: "\"We used to build temples, and museums are about as close as secular society dares to go in facing up to the idea that a good building can change your l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/986/alain-de-botton-221_building_we-used-to-build-temples-and-museums-are_3048778.jpg" --- # We used to build temples, and museums are about as close… ![“We used to build temples, and museums are about as close as secular society dares to go in facing up to the idea that a good building can change your life (and a bad one ruin it).” quote by Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/986/alain-de-botton-221_building_we-used-to-build-temples-and-museums-are_3048778.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/986/alain-de-botton-221_building_we-used-to-build-temples-and-museums-are_3048778.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/986/alain-de-botton-221_building_we-used-to-build-temples-and-museums-are_3048778.jpg) > “We used to build temples, and museums are about as close as secular society dares to go in facing up to the idea that a good building can change your life (and a bad one ruin it).” [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Buildings reflect values; good design can uplift lives, while poor design can harm well‑being. **In simple terms:** Spaces shape our emotions and actions. Key Takeaway Choose environments that nurture you. Themes design well‑being environment Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - home renovation - urban planning - workplace design - educational campuses Key Concepts aesthetic philosophy psychology of space Questions to Reflect On - How does your surroundings affect your mood? - What changes can you make to improve your environment? A Different Perspective Not all change is within personal control. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change your life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-your-life/) [Changing your life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changing-your-life/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Museums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/museums/) [Ruins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruins/) [Secular](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secular/) [Secular society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secular-society/) [Temples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temples/) ## Related quotes > [“We can then recognize that we invented religions to serve two central needs which continue to this day and which secular society has not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/we-can-then-recognize-that-we-invented-religions-to-serve-two-central/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [According to one influential wing of modern secular society there are few more disreputable fates than to end up being 'like everyone else' for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/according-to-one-influential-wing-of-modern-secular-society-there-are/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“Each of us, I think, adopts a comfortable and familiar era or place in which to plant ourselves; and from then on, that which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-victor/each-of-us-i-think-adopts-a-comfortable-and-familiar-era-or-place-in/) Daniel D. Victor > [I think the most important factor moving us toward a secular society has been the educational factor. Our schools may not teach Johnny to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-blanshard/i-think-the-most-important-factor-moving-us-toward-a-secular-society/) Paul Blanshard > [The Soviet Union began by banishing God. The United States began as a community of people who wanted to worship God as they chose.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/the-soviet-union-began-by-banishing-god-the-united-states-began-as-a/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [Within the field of a secular society, which is a sort of neutral frame that allows individuals to develop their own lives, so long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/within-the-field-of-a-secular-society-which-is-a-sort-of-neutral/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [A church has the right to set its own standards within its community. I don't think it has a right to prohibit birth control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/a-church-has-the-right-to-set-its-own-standards-within-its-community/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [It's been so long now and so much has happened that I am able now to look back with much less emotion and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-colacello/it-s-been-so-long-now-and-so-much-has-happened-that-i-am-able-now-to/) [Bob Colacello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-colacello/) > [The demand that Islam makes of women is to not attract attention to yourself, and if you are in a secular society, that attire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/the-demand-that-islam-makes-of-women-is-to-not-attract-attention-to/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [Religion says earn your life. Secular society says create your life. Jesus says, 'My life for your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/religion-says-earn-your-life-secular-society-says-create-your-life/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [The basic assumption of the secular society is that modernity overcomes religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulrich-beck/the-basic-assumption-of-the-secular-society-is-that-modernity/) [Ulrich Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulrich-beck/) > [Man would indeeded be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/man-would-indeeded-be-in-a-poor-way-if-he-had-to-be-restrained-by/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“Secular society has been unfairly impoverished by the loss of an array of practices and themes which atheists typically find it impossible to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/secular-society-has-been-unfairly-impoverished-by-the-loss-of-an/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [We are presented with an unpleasant choice between either committing to peculiar concepts about immaterial deities or letting go entirely of a host of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/we-are-presented-with-an-unpleasant-choice-between-either-committing/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“Our inner lives must be lent a structure and our best thoughts reinforced to counter the continuous pull of distraction and disintegration. Religions have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/our-inner-lives-must-be-lent-a-structure-and-our-best-thoughts/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) ## More by Alain de Botton > [“To be mature is, we're told, to move beyond possessiveness. Jealousy is for babies. The mature person knows that no one owns anyone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/to-be-mature-is-we-re-told-to-move-beyond-possessiveness-jealousy-is/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“He feared that by leaving her he would ruin her life - so he stayed, and did just that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/he-feared-that-by-leaving-her-he-would-ruin-her-life-so-he-stayed-and/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [You have to be quite heavily invested in someone to do them the honour of telling them you're annoyed with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/you-have-to-be-quite-heavily-invested-in-someone-to-do-them-the/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“The Anxiety of Sunday afternoon: your unlived lives and infinite possibility pressing upon the constraints of reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/the-anxiety-of-sunday-afternoon-your-unlived-lives-and-infinite/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [Those who divorce aren't necessarily the most unhappy, just those neatly able to believe their misery is caused by one other person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/those-who-divorce-aren-t-necessarily-the-most-unhappy-just-those/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“We could not be fulfilled if we weren't inauthentic some of the time—inauthentic, that is, in relation to such things as our passing desires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/we-could-not-be-fulfilled-if-we-weren-t-inauthentic-some-of-the-time/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“Insofar as we appreciate order, it is when we perceive it as being accompanied by complexity, when we feel that a variety of elements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/insofar-as-we-appreciate-order-it-is-when-we-perceive-it-as-being/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [I like the values associated with a medical family - common sense, being practical but also thoughtful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/i-like-the-values-associated-with-a-medical-family-common-sense-being/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“Anyone who urgently needs us deserves, in the true book of love, to be our friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/anyone-who-urgently-needs-us-deserves-in-the-true-book-of-love-to-be/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“We can then recognize that we invented religions to serve two central needs which continue to this day and which secular society has not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/we-can-then-recognize-that-we-invented-religions-to-serve-two-central/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“Half the ingratitude and complacency in the world down to how slowly and imperceptibly most good and bad things unfold.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/half-the-ingratitude-and-complacency-in-the-world-down-to-how-slowly/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [It is perhaps when our lives are at their most problematic that we are likely to be most receptive to beautiful things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/it-is-perhaps-when-our-lives-are-at-their-most-problematic-that-we/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“Does what is praised becomes better? Does an emerald become worse if it isn't praised? And what a gold, ivory, a flower or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/does-what-is-praised-becomes-better-does-an-emerald-become-worse-if/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [The bourgeois thinkers of the eighteenth century thus turned Aristotle's formula on its head: satisfactions which the Greek philosopher had identified with leisure were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/the-bourgeois-thinkers-of-the-eighteenth-century-thus-turned/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [Reputation matters so much only because people so seldom think for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/reputation-matters-so-much-only-because-people-so-seldom-think-for/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) [Explore all 850 Alain de Botton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) ## More Building quotes > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Surely, if Mother Nature had been consulted, she would never have consented to building a city in New Orleans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-zuckerman/surely-if-mother-nature-had-been-consulted-she-would-never-have/) [Mortimer Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-zuckerman/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I'd like to play Ian Paisley, actually. I'd need building up, though he's very frail now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-neeson/i-d-like-to-play-ian-paisley-actually-i-d-need-building-up-though-he/) [Liam Neeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-neeson/) > [Death is but an aspect of life, and the destruction of one material form is but a prelude to building up of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-is-but-an-aspect-of-life-and-the-destruction-of-one-material/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some architects have a preconceived notion of what a building should be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-w-fentress/some-architects-have-a-preconceived-notion-of-what-a-building-should/) [Curtis W. Fentress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-w-fentress/) > [As for the forces, electromagnetism and gravity we experience in everyday life. But the weak and strong forces are beyond our ordinary experience. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-witten/as-for-the-forces-electromagnetism-and-gravity-we-experience-in/) [Edward Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-witten/) > [I'm 30. I'm about to hit my prime now. I need to act and keep building.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dillian-whyte/i-m-30-i-m-about-to-hit-my-prime-now-i-need-to-act-and-keep-building/) [Dillian Whyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dillian-whyte/) > [The essential functions of the mind consist in understanding and in inventing, in other words, in building up structures by structuring reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/the-essential-functions-of-the-mind-consist-in-understanding-and-in/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [Practically every time I speak up at a school conference, a political event, or my apartment building association's annual meeting, I'm met with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-druckerman/practically-every-time-i-speak-up-at-a-school-conference-a-political/) [Pamela Druckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-druckerman/) Browse all 5,974 Building quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We used to build temples, and museums are about as close as secular society dares to go in facing up to the idea that a good building can change your life (and a bad one ruin it).", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alain de Botton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/we-used-to-build-temples-and-museums-are-about-as-close-as-secular/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Building" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/we-used-to-build-temples-and-museums-are-about-as-close-as-secular/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/986/alain-de-botton-221_building_we-used-to-build-temples-and-museums-are_3048778.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/986/alain-de-botton-221_building_we-used-to-build-temples-and-museums-are_3048778.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/986/alain-de-botton-221_building_we-used-to-build-temples-and-museums-are_3048778.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We used to build temples, and museums are about as close as secular society dares to go in facing up to the…” — Alain de Botton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alain de Botton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We used to build temples, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/we-used-to-build-temples-and-museums-are-about-as-close-as-secular/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/we-used-to-build-temples-and-museums-are-about-as-close-as-secular/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```