--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [N]early all that we call human…" description: "\"“[N]early all that we call human history—money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery—[is] the long terrible story of man try..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b7/c-s-lewis-121_christianity_n-early-all-that-we-call-human-history-m_170233.jpg" --- # \[N\]early all that we call human history—money, poverty… ![“[N]early all that we call human history—money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery—[is] the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.” quote by C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b7/c-s-lewis-121_christianity_n-early-all-that-we-call-human-history-m_170233.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b7/c-s-lewis-121_christianity_n-early-all-that-we-call-human-history-m_170233.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b7/c-s-lewis-121_christianity_n-early-all-that-we-call-human-history-m_170233.jpg) > ““\[N\]early all that we call human history—money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery—\[is\] the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.”” [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human history is driven by the search for worldly substitutes for divine fulfillment, leading to suffering and conflict. **In simple terms:** People chase material things instead of spiritual peace, causing pain. Key Takeaway Seek deeper purpose beyond material gain. Themes spirituality history human nature materialism purpose Mood reflective critical thoughtful Type philosophical observational cautionary When to use this quote - personal fulfillment - societal development - political power - economic disparity - ethical dilemmas Key Concepts existential search theodicy moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What deeper need are you trying to satisfy? - How can spiritual values reshape societal goals? A Different Perspective Material pursuits often fail to bring lasting happiness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Human history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-history/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Theology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theology/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [ “\[A\]ll that we call human history—money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery—\[is\] the long terrible story of man trying to find something other… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/a-ll-that-we-call-human-history-money-poverty-ambition-war/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [And out of that hopeless attempt has come nearly all that we call human history—money, poverty, ambition, war, prostitution, classes, empires, slavery—the long terrible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-out-of-that-hopeless-attempt-has-come-nearly-all-that-we-call/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was being groomed as an undergraduate to specialize in Midwestern prehistory, but going back to my teenage days, my interest has always been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-johanson/i-was-being-groomed-as-an-undergraduate-to-specialize-in-midwestern/) [Donald Johanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-johanson/) > [ \[Tim White\] always spoke about his work in terms of forensics, as if he was investigating a crime scene. While we were there, they… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/tim-white-always-spoke-about-his-work-in-terms-of-forensics-as-if-he/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [Early human thought proceeded by metaphor,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-edelman/early-human-thought-proceeded-by-metaphor/) [Gerald Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-edelman/) > [Black people are experiencing a systemic disadvantage, and it goes back to slavery, which was not that long ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-simien/black-people-are-experiencing-a-systemic-disadvantage-and-it-goes/) [Justin Simien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-simien/) > [It was a glorious resurrection, from the tomb of slavery, to the heaven of slavery. 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Up to that time her judges, sitting upon the bench…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/it-was-not-until-the-year-1808-that-great-britain-abolished-the-slave/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [Some few, & I am one, even wish to God, though at the loss of millions of lives, that the North would proclaim a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/some-few-i-am-one-even-wish-to-god-though-at-the-loss-of-millions-of/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [I do think that some form of reparations for the descendants of American slavery would go a long way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton-williams/i-do-think-that-some-form-of-reparations-for-the-descendants-of/) [Thomas Chatterton Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton-williams/) ## More by C.S. Lewis > [“At the moment, then, of Man’s victory over Nature, we find the whole human race subjected to some individual men, and those individuals subjected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/at-the-moment-then-of-man-s-victory-over-nature-we-find-the-whole/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“Isn’t it absolutely essential to keep a fierce Left and a fierce Right, both on their toes and each terrified of the other?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/isn-t-it-absolutely-essential-to-keep-a-fierce-left-and-a-fierce/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“All Hell is smaller than one pebble of your earthly world: but it is smaller than one atom of this world, the Real World.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/all-hell-is-smaller-than-one-pebble-of-your-earthly-world-but-it-is/) [C.S. 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