--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The most enduring and galvanizing ideas…" description: "\"“The most enduring and galvanizing ideas and values of our civilization are embedded in our stories, from those of Homer, […] and Virgil, […] and to Je..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/656/blake-mycoskie-4833_inspirational_the-most-enduring-and-galvanizing-ideas_1900757.jpg" --- # The most enduring and galvanizing ideas and values of our… ![“The most enduring and galvanizing ideas and values of our civilization are embedded in our stories, from those of Homer, […] and Virgil, […] and to Jesus. It seems to be in our genetic makeup to capture our best ideas in stories, to enjoy them, to learn form them, and to pass them on to others (25)” quote by Blake Mycoskie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/656/blake-mycoskie-4833_inspirational_the-most-enduring-and-galvanizing-ideas_1900757.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/656/blake-mycoskie-4833_inspirational_the-most-enduring-and-galvanizing-ideas_1900757.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/656/blake-mycoskie-4833_inspirational_the-most-enduring-and-galvanizing-ideas_1900757.jpg) > ““The most enduring and galvanizing ideas and values of our civilization are embedded in our stories, from those of Homer, \[…\] and Virgil, \[…\] and to Jesus. It seems to be in our genetic makeup to capture our best ideas in stories, to enjoy them, to learn form them, and to pass them on to others (25)”” [Blake Mycoskie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-mycoskie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Stories preserve and transmit core cultural values, shaping identity and guiding behavior across generations. **In simple terms:** Stories carry our civilization’s key ideas. Key Takeaway Use stories to teach and inspire. Themes culture values communication Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - education - marketing - leadership - family traditions Key Concepts mythology memetics narrative psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do stories influence your personal values? - What stories have shaped your community? A Different Perspective Stories can oversimplify complex ideas and exclude alternative perspectives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Nonprofit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonprofit/) [Social change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-change/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not someone who from a young age imagined myself being a writer or had dreams of being a novelist or anything like that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bari-weiss/i-m-not-someone-who-from-a-young-age-imagined-myself-being-a-writer/) [Bari Weiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bari-weiss/) > [“It seems to be in our genetic makeup to capture our best ideas in stories, to enjoy them, to learn from them, and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-mycoskie/it-seems-to-be-in-our-genetic-makeup-to-capture-our-best-ideas-in/) [Blake Mycoskie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-mycoskie/) > [Government should uphold-and not undermine-those institutions which are custodians of the very values upon which civilization is founded: religion, education and, above all, family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/government-should-uphold-and-not-undermine-those-institutions-which/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [“The colonialst as the custodian of the values of civilization and history, he accomplishes a mission; he has the immense merit of bringing light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-memmi/the-colonialst-as-the-custodian-of-the-values-of-civilization-and/) [Albert Memmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-memmi/) > [I believe this nation hungers for a spiritual revival; hungers to once again see honor placed above political expediency; to see government once again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-believe-this-nation-hungers-for-a-spiritual-revival-hungers-to-once/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [“The problem with all of this, as historians advise us, is that the institutionalization of the systems that produce the values upon which a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butler-shaffer/the-problem-with-all-of-this-as-historians-advise-us-is-that-the/) [Butler Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butler-shaffer/) > [Ideas for stories come to me based on my life, so who knows? If somebody sends me to become an astronaut, that's what I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/ideas-for-stories-come-to-me-based-on-my-life-so-who-knows-if/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [Books have a vital place in our culture. They are the source of ideas, of stories that engage and stretch the imagination and most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/books-have-a-vital-place-in-our-culture-they-are-the-source-of-ideas/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [I don't abandon stories once I've started working on them. Once I sit down and start a story, I'll be damned if I'm going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-link/i-don-t-abandon-stories-once-i-ve-started-working-on-them-once-i-sit/) [Kelly Link](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-link/) > [If the reader looks, I think he will find plenty of moral and political ideas in my stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italo-calvino/if-the-reader-looks-i-think-he-will-find-plenty-of-moral-and/) [Italo Calvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italo-calvino/) > [Ideas for stories come in really different terms and really different ways for me. Sometimes they're from books, sometimes they're just kind of out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-evenson/ideas-for-stories-come-in-really-different-terms-and-really-different/) [Brian Evenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-evenson/) > [I'm often asked how I get ideas for my stories. The answer is there's no single way; every story is different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-liu/i-m-often-asked-how-i-get-ideas-for-my-stories-the-answer-is-there-s/) [Ken Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-liu/) > [The ideas for stories that thronged my brain would not let me rest till I had got rid of them by writing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/the-ideas-for-stories-that-thronged-my-brain-would-not-let-me-rest/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [I did software development for a while, and I also spent several years directing a nonprofit in San Francisco that did computer education for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-autor/i-did-software-development-for-a-while-and-i-also-spent-several-years/) [David Autor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-autor/) > [I am an off-Broadway, nonprofit kind of guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-lapine/i-am-an-off-broadway-nonprofit-kind-of-guy/) [James Lapine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-lapine/) ## More by Blake Mycoskie > [It may sound too good to be true, but once you've seen the happiest people in your life who have nothing, you really start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-mycoskie/it-may-sound-too-good-to-be-true-but-once-you-ve-seen-the-happiest/) [Blake Mycoskie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-mycoskie/) > [I would never want to take TOMS or myself into an issues debate. That's not what we're about. We're about helping people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-mycoskie/i-would-never-want-to-take-toms-or-myself-into-an-issues-debate-that/) [Blake Mycoskie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-mycoskie/) > [With TOMS, I found a way to create sustainable giving and consistently help those who are in need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-mycoskie/with-toms-i-found-a-way-to-create-sustainable-giving-and-consistently/) [Blake Mycoskie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-mycoskie/) > [One day, when I own a house, I'll keep a library full of books. Books are different from other possessions-they're more like friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-mycoskie/one-day-when-i-own-a-house-i-ll-keep-a-library-full-of-books-books/) [Blake Mycoskie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-mycoskie/) > [Walk away from anyone who is unduly focused on vacation and compensation. It's a sign of potential trouble. No matter how talented you are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-mycoskie/walk-away-from-anyone-who-is-unduly-focused-on-vacation-and/) [Blake Mycoskie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-mycoskie/) > [Giving is what fuels us. Giving is our future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-mycoskie/giving-is-what-fuels-us-giving-is-our-future/) [Blake Mycoskie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-mycoskie/) > [When you don't know the rules, you break them all. It's hard to take big risks when you know the history of an industry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-mycoskie/when-you-don-t-know-the-rules-you-break-them-all-it-s-hard-to-take/) [Blake Mycoskie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-mycoskie/) > [The future of TOMS is really creating a whole new business model of this one-for-one giving and expanding the TOMS model from shoes into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-mycoskie/the-future-of-toms-is-really-creating-a-whole-new-business-model-of/) [Blake Mycoskie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-mycoskie/) > [I always have my journal with me. It was handmade by a guy at the San Telmo market in Buenos Aires. If you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-mycoskie/i-always-have-my-journal-with-me-it-was-handmade-by-a-guy-at-the-san/) [Blake Mycoskie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-mycoskie/) > [My goal was to go back to Argentina, and give them all-all the shoes-away. Not just to give them away, but to place them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-mycoskie/my-goal-was-to-go-back-to-argentina-and-give-them-all-all-the-shoes/) [Blake Mycoskie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-mycoskie/) > [Vogue Magazine does something really interesting here: They make it look like I know exactly what I'm doing. Because Vogue made it look like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-mycoskie/vogue-magazine-does-something-really-interesting-here-they-make-it/) [Blake Mycoskie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-mycoskie/) > [TOMS is no longer a shoe company... we're a one-for-one company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-mycoskie/toms-is-no-longer-a-shoe-company-we-re-a-one-for-one-company/) [Blake Mycoskie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-mycoskie/) > [If you just go out and try to make money by starting a business, you're going to come up with something that's just like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-mycoskie/if-you-just-go-out-and-try-to-make-money-by-starting-a-business-you/) [Blake Mycoskie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-mycoskie/) > [When you incorporate giving into your business in an authentic and transparent way, your customers become your best marketers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-mycoskie/when-you-incorporate-giving-into-your-business-in-an-authentic-and/) [Blake Mycoskie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-mycoskie/) > [Traveling as much as I do, I get lonely sometimes. I have friends now in cities all over the world, so I get to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-mycoskie/traveling-as-much-as-i-do-i-get-lonely-sometimes-i-have-friends-now/) [Blake Mycoskie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-mycoskie/) [Explore all 106 Blake Mycoskie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-mycoskie/) ## More Inspirational quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We talk to God--that is prayer; God talks to us--that is inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-emilie-cady/we-talk-to-god-that-is-prayer-god-talks-to-us-that-is-inspiration/) [H. Emilie Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-emilie-cady/) > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Just understand that the good that you want is already here. All you have to do is get in harmony with it. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/just-understand-that-the-good-that-you-want-is-already-here-all-you/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/if-you-want-to-build-a-ship-don-t-drum-up-the-men-to-gather-wood/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [It's not the method, it's the mindset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gilbert/it-s-not-the-method-it-s-the-mindset/) [Andy Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gilbert/) > [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/) [Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/) > [Too much familiarity breeds contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/too-much-familiarity-breeds-contempt/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [We never really perceive what color is physically!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-albers/we-never-really-perceive-what-color-is-physically/) [Josef Albers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-albers/) > [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/) [Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/) > [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) [Browse all 114,561 Inspirational quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The most enduring and galvanizing ideas and values of our civilization are embedded in our stories, from those of Homer, […] and Virgil, […] and to Jesus. 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