--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In a living civilization there is always…" description: "\"In a living civilization there is always an element of unrest, for sensitiveness to ideas means curiosity, adventure, change. Civilized order survives ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/536/alfred-north-whitehead-836_adventure_in-a-living-civilization-there-is-always_1247538.png" --- # In a living civilization there is always an element of… ![“In a living civilization there is always an element of unrest, for sensitiveness to ideas means curiosity, adventure, change. Civilized order survives on its merits and is transformed by its power of recognizing its imperfections.” quote by Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/536/alfred-north-whitehead-836_adventure_in-a-living-civilization-there-is-always_1247538.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/536/alfred-north-whitehead-836_adventure_in-a-living-civilization-there-is-always_1247538.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/536/alfred-north-whitehead-836_adventure_in-a-living-civilization-there-is-always_1247538.png) > “In a living civilization there is always an element of unrest, for sensitiveness to ideas means curiosity, adventure, change. Civilized order survives on its merits and is transformed by its power of recognizing its imperfections.” [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Civilized societies contain inherent tension between order and the restless drive for new ideas and change. **In simple terms:** Societies balance stability with curiosity. Key Takeaway Embrace both order and the urge to innovate. Themes society order curiosity change imperfection Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - urban planning - education reform - organizational leadership Key Concepts process philosophy dialectics social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What role does discomfort play in progress? - How can we channel curiosity constructively? A Different Perspective Excessive unrest can destabilize essential structures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adventure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adventure/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change Civilized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-civilized-3919195/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Civilized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilized/) [Civilized Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilized-order-3919196/) [Curiosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curiosity/) [Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elements/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Imperfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperfection/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Merit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/merit/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Recognizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recognizing/) [Sensitiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensitiveness/) [Sensitiveness Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensitiveness-ideas-3919194/) [Transformed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transformed/) [Unrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unrest/) [Unrest Sensitiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unrest-sensitiveness-3919193/) ## Related quotes > [The worth of men consists in their liability to persuasion. They can persuade and can be persuaded by the disclosure of alternatives, the better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-worth-of-men-consists-in-their-liability-to-persuasion-they-can/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [The worth of men consists in their liability to persuasion. . . . Civilisation is the maintenance of social order, by its own inherent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-worth-of-men-consists-in-their-liability-to-persuasion/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [“Sensitive people usually love deeply and hate deeply. They don't know any other way to live than by extremes because thier emotional theromastat is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/sensitive-people-usually-love-deeply-and-hate-deeply-they-don-t-know/) [Shannon L. 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Does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/if-the-artist-is-necessarily-sensitive-does-that-sensitiveness-form/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [One of the effects of a safe and civilized life is an immense over sensitiveness which makes all the primary emotions somewhat disgusting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/one-of-the-effects-of-a-safe-and-civilized-life-is-an-immense-over/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [Exaggerated sensitiveness is an expression of the feeling of inferiority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-adler/exaggerated-sensitiveness-is-an-expression-of-the-feeling-of/) [Alfred Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-adler/) > [We should always remember that sensitiveness and emotion constitute the real content of a work of art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-ravel/we-should-always-remember-that-sensitiveness-and-emotion-constitute/) [Maurice Ravel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-ravel/) > [It is all a question of sensitiveness. 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When we’re sensitive, we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aletheia-luna/why-is-sensitivity-perceived-as-being-dangerous-when-we-re-sensitive/) [Aletheia Luna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aletheia-luna/) > [“We're just two lost souls Swimming in a fish bowl, Year after year, Running over the same old ground. What have we found? The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/we-re-just-two-lost-souls-swimming-in-a-fish-bowl-year-after-year/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [Women are ever the dupes or the victims of their extreme sensitiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/women-are-ever-the-dupes-or-the-victims-of-their-extreme-sensitiveness/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [“The opposite sensitive is not brave. It's not brave to refuse to pay attention, to refuse to notice, to refuse to feel and know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glennon-doyle/the-opposite-sensitive-is-not-brave-it-s-not-brave-to-refuse-to-pay/) [Glennon Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glennon-doyle/) ## More by Alfred North Whitehead > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Philosophy begins in wonder. 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Not everyone is good at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/everyone-is-a-philosopher-not-everyone-is-good-at-it/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Do not teach too many subjects and what you teach, teach thoroughly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/do-not-teach-too-many-subjects-and-what-you-teach-teach-thoroughly/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Civilization advances by extending the number of important operations which we can perform without thinking about them. Operations of thought are cavalry charges in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/civilization-advances-by-extending-the-number-of-important-operations/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) [Explore all 356 Alfred North Whitehead quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) ## More Adventure quotes > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I painted the words "GREAT ADVENTURE" in Beijing, Dallas, San Francisco, Copenhagen, and Japan. 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Writing is partly about listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/i-am-attracted-to-looking-at-the-different-things-language-can-mean/) [Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/) > [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) [Jessica Yu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-yu/) > [“So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-supertramp-chris-mccandless/so-many-people-live-within-unhappy-circumstances-and-yet-will-not/) [Alexander Supertramp Chris McCandless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-supertramp-chris-mccandless/) > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [“Exactly. I think the original tantric Buddhists took notice of was some very wise old people who never studied in their youth, but took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-niemczura/exactly-i-think-the-original-tantric-buddhists-took-notice-of-was/) [Joe Niemczura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-niemczura/) > [As an adventurer...I try to protect against the downside. I make sure I have covered as many eventualities as I can. 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