--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The problem with all of this, as…" description: "\"“The problem with all of this, as historians advise us, is that the institutionalization of the systems that produce the values upon which a civilizati..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28e/butler-shaffer-45518_culture_the-problem-with-all-of-this-as-historia_575578.jpg" --- # The problem with all of this, as historians advise us, is… ![“The problem with all of this, as historians advise us, is that the institutionalization of the systems that produce the values upon which a civilization depends, ultimately bring about the destruction of that civilization. Arnold Toynbee observed that a civilization begins to break down when there…” quote by Butler Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28e/butler-shaffer-45518_culture_the-problem-with-all-of-this-as-historia_575578.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28e/butler-shaffer-45518_culture_the-problem-with-all-of-this-as-historia_575578.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28e/butler-shaffer-45518_culture_the-problem-with-all-of-this-as-historia_575578.jpg) > ““The problem with all of this, as historians advise us, is that the institutionalization of the systems that produce the values upon which a civilization depends, ultimately bring about the destruction of that civilization. Arnold Toynbee observed that a civilization begins to break down when there is “a loss of creative power in the souls of creative individuals,” and, in time, the “differentiation and diversity” that characterized a dynamic civilization, is replaced by “a tendency towards standardization and uniformity.” The emergence of a “universal state,” and increased militarism, represent later stages in the disintegration of a civilization.”” [Butler Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butler-shaffer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Civilizations decline when creative individuals lose power and diversity is replaced by uniformity and militarism, leading to societal collapse. **In simple terms:** Creativity loss and uniformity cause collapse. Key Takeaway Foster creativity and diversity. Themes civilization history culture decline Mood analytical concerned Type historical philosophical When to use this quote - education reform - policy making - community building - arts funding Key Concepts creative power standardization militarism Questions to Reflect On - What mechanisms can preserve creativity? - How can diversity be protected in modern institutions? A Different Perspective Some societies maintain stability despite standardization. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) ## Related quotes > [“Science has not given men more self-control, more kindliness, or more power of discounting their passions in deciding upon a course of action. 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Its worth to civilization depends upon how it is used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-walter-thompson/advertising-is-a-non-moral-force-like-electricity-which-not-only/) J Walter Thompson ## More by Butler Shaffer > [The state has, in order to control us, introduced division into our thinking, so that we come to distrust others and look to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butler-shaffer/the-state-has-in-order-to-control-us-introduced-division-into-our/) [Butler Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butler-shaffer/) > [“The origins of any productive system seem to be traceable to conditions in which the self-interest driven purposes of individuals are allowed expression. 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Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) [Browse all 15,940 Culture quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The problem with all of this, as historians advise us, is that the institutionalization of the systems that produce the values upon which a civilization depends, ultimately bring about the destruction of that civilization. Arnold Toynbee observed that a civilization begins to break down when there is “a loss of creative power in the souls of creative individuals,” and, in time, the “differentiation and diversity” that characterized a dynamic civilization, is replaced by “a tendency towards standardization and uniformity.” The emergence of a “universal state,” and increased militarism, represent later stages in the disintegration of a civilization.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Butler Shaffer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butler-shaffer/the-problem-with-all-of-this-as-historians-advise-us-is-that-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Culture" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butler-shaffer/the-problem-with-all-of-this-as-historians-advise-us-is-that-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28e/butler-shaffer-45518_culture_the-problem-with-all-of-this-as-historia_575578.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28e/butler-shaffer-45518_culture_the-problem-with-all-of-this-as-historia_575578.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28e/butler-shaffer-45518_culture_the-problem-with-all-of-this-as-historia_575578.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The problem with all of this, as historians advise us, is that the institutionalization of the systems that…” — Butler Shaffer", "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": "Butler Shaffer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butler-shaffer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The problem with all of this,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butler-shaffer/the-problem-with-all-of-this-as-historians-advise-us-is-that-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butler-shaffer/the-problem-with-all-of-this-as-historians-advise-us-is-that-the/#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 } } ] } ```