--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The whole idea of civilization as an…" description: "\"The whole idea of civilization as an understandable narrative is a bit nuts. It's the most problematic of delusions.\" — Carey Mercer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01b/carey-mercer-30887_civilization_the-whole-idea-of-civilization-as-an-und_754652.jpg" --- # The whole idea of civilization as an understandable… ![“The whole idea of civilization as an understandable narrative is a bit nuts. It's the most problematic of delusions.” quote by Carey Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01b/carey-mercer-30887_civilization_the-whole-idea-of-civilization-as-an-und_754652.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01b/carey-mercer-30887_civilization_the-whole-idea-of-civilization-as-an-und_754652.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01b/carey-mercer-30887_civilization_the-whole-idea-of-civilization-as-an-und_754652.jpg) > “The whole idea of civilization as an understandable narrative is a bit nuts. It's the most problematic of delusions.” [Carey Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-mercer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Viewing civilization as a coherent story is a delusion that oversimplifies complexity. **In simple terms:** Civilization isn’t a simple narrative. Key Takeaway Embrace complexity over tidy stories. Themes history myth complexity Mood analytical critical Type philosophical academic When to use this quote - education curricula - public policy - media analysis Key Concepts narrative fallacy social construct Questions to Reflect On - Why do we crave simple stories? - How can we acknowledge complexity responsibly? A Different Perspective Simplistic narratives can mislead. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Delusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/delusion/) [Storytelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/storytelling/) ## Related quotes > [My idea of our civilization is that it is a shoddy, poor thing and full of cruelties, vanities, arrogances, meannesses and hypocrisies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/my-idea-of-our-civilization-is-that-it-is-a-shoddy-poor-thing-and/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Perhaps civilization will never be safe until we care for something else more than we care for it. The hypothesis has certain facts to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/perhaps-civilization-will-never-be-safe-until-we-care-for-something/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Several years ago, when I was about to start a novel, I thought I might get some mileage out of the idea of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-e-butler/several-years-ago-when-i-was-about-to-start-a-novel-i-thought-i-might/) [Octavia E. Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-e-butler/) > [There are a lot of people who are doing wonderful things, quietly, with no motive of greed, or hostility toward other people, or delusions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kuralt/there-are-a-lot-of-people-who-are-doing-wonderful-things-quietly-with/) [Charles Kuralt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kuralt/) > [Life being full of harsh realities, we seek relief from them in a variety of pleasing delusions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-nestell-bovee/life-being-full-of-harsh-realities-we-seek-relief-from-them-in-a/) [Christian Nestell Bovee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-nestell-bovee/) > [Strong delusions travel like cold germs on a sneeze.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/strong-delusions-travel-like-cold-germs-on-a-sneeze/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Satan, who is a wonderful contriver of delusions, is constantly laying snares to entrap ignorant and heedless people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/satan-who-is-a-wonderful-contriver-of-delusions-is-constantly-laying/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [Though many schizophrenics become curiously attached to their delusions, the fading of the nondelusional world puts them in loneliness beyond all reckoning, a fixed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/though-many-schizophrenics-become-curiously-attached-to-their/) [Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/) > [Respect the delicate ecology of your delusions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-kushner/respect-the-delicate-ecology-of-your-delusions/) [Tony Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-kushner/) > [“In many ways, life is about managing your delusions; keeping the ones that nourish and eliminating the ones that poison.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/in-many-ways-life-is-about-managing-your-delusions-keeping-the-ones/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [Doubt is the big machine. It grinds up the delusions of women and men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-lavalle/doubt-is-the-big-machine-it-grinds-up-the-delusions-of-women-and-men/) [Victor LaValle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-lavalle/) > [One of the most persistent of all delusions is the conviction that the source of our dissatisfaction lies outside ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-alan-wallace/one-of-the-most-persistent-of-all-delusions-is-the-conviction-that/) [B. Alan Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-alan-wallace/) > [Through our senses the world appears. Through our reactions we create delusions.Without reactions the world becomes clear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/through-our-senses-the-world-appears-through-our-reactions-we-create/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Paranoia is a state of heightened awareness. Most people are persecuted beyond their wildest delusions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-steiner/paranoia-is-a-state-of-heightened-awareness-most-people-are/) Claude Steiner > [The religions of mankind must be classed among the mass-delusions of this kind. No one, needless to say, who shares a delusion ever recognizes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/the-religions-of-mankind-must-be-classed-among-the-mass-delusions-of/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) ## More by Carey Mercer > [An acceptance of your cultural inheritance, and at the same time a dislike of it, is a building block of good art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-mercer/an-acceptance-of-your-cultural-inheritance-and-at-the-same-time-a/) [Carey Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-mercer/) > [You don't expect people to go, "music has just been reinvented!" But the hope is that people won't say, "this is the most boring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-mercer/you-don-t-expect-people-to-go-music-has-just-been-reinvented-but-the/) [Carey Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-mercer/) > [It's like, symbolic language, the way that people approach dense poetry... it always bugs me, because that approach suggests that it's like a mystery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-mercer/it-s-like-symbolic-language-the-way-that-people-approach-dense-poetry/) [Carey Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-mercer/) > [It's pretty awesome to be in a band with your wife! The tour, it beats you down, and we can just share that, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-mercer/it-s-pretty-awesome-to-be-in-a-band-with-your-wife-the-tour-it-beats/) [Carey Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-mercer/) > [Live is best. You have movement, and I think we should do as much as we can to put that sense of movement in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-mercer/live-is-best-you-have-movement-and-i-think-we-should-do-as-much-as-we/) [Carey Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-mercer/) > [We're a live band. Some bands write their songs in the studio - we don't do that. We're playing songs on this tour that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-mercer/we-re-a-live-band-some-bands-write-their-songs-in-the-studio-we-don-t/) [Carey Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-mercer/) > [It's sort of cheesy to introduce that to the drums - those dings and dongs and bell sounds. That's definitely one of the reasons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-mercer/it-s-sort-of-cheesy-to-introduce-that-to-the-drums-those-dings-and/) [Carey Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-mercer/) > [I'm really happy that people are starting to hear my band, and we are so happy to be conduits for all this other happiness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-mercer/i-m-really-happy-that-people-are-starting-to-hear-my-band-and-we-are/) [Carey Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-mercer/) > [Bruegel has these paintings of people just... interacting with each other. And there's this special wink - it's not a celebration of nature, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-mercer/bruegel-has-these-paintings-of-people-just-interacting-with-each/) [Carey Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-mercer/) > [We hate our heroes, you know. That's one of the great things about this whole deconstruction thing - there's no more heroes. It's always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-mercer/we-hate-our-heroes-you-know-that-s-one-of-the-great-things-about-this/) [Carey Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-mercer/) > [One thing I've always been proud of is that vicious dichotomy between the pretty controlled, angular playing of the band, and my - I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-mercer/one-thing-i-ve-always-been-proud-of-is-that-vicious-dichotomy-between/) [Carey Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-mercer/) > [Ten people who are into our music is better than three hundred people who are just standing there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-mercer/ten-people-who-are-into-our-music-is-better-than-three-hundred-people/) [Carey Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-mercer/) > [People are intended to resist symbolic interpretation, as well. At times, they break through - there are little hints of 'this song is about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-mercer/people-are-intended-to-resist-symbolic-interpretation-as-well-at/) [Carey Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-mercer/) > [I find listening to music in terms of influences, and trying to keep up with what's going on, is sickening! I mean, I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-mercer/i-find-listening-to-music-in-terms-of-influences-and-trying-to-keep/) [Carey Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-mercer/) > [Tour is disgusting, actually, I have no idea how people do it. Your brain would go to rot, unless you really, really worked hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-mercer/tour-is-disgusting-actually-i-have-no-idea-how-people-do-it-your/) [Carey Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-mercer/) [Explore all 17 Carey Mercer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-mercer/) ## More Civilization quotes > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Sentiment is the mightiest force in civilization; not sentimentality, but sentiment. Women will bring this into politics. Home, sweet home, is as powerful on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-ellen-foster/sentiment-is-the-mightiest-force-in-civilization-not-sentimentality/) [Judith Ellen Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-ellen-foster/) > [Violence is not necessary to destroy a civilization. Each civilization dies from indifference toward the unique values which created it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/violence-is-not-necessary-to-destroy-a-civilization-each-civilization/) [Nicolas Gomez Davila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [“The voice in the head that never stops speaking becomes a civilization that is obsessed with form and therefore knows nothing of the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/the-voice-in-the-head-that-never-stops-speaking-becomes-a/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [We released 400,000 classified documents, the most extraordinary history of a war to ever have been released in our civilization. Those documents cover 109,000…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/we-released-400-000-classified-documents-the-most-extraordinary/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/wine-is-one-of-the-most-civilized-things-in-the-world-and-one-of-the/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Whenever we touch nature we get clean. People who have got dirty through too much civilization take a walk in the woods, or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/whenever-we-touch-nature-we-get-clean-people-who-have-got-dirty/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [The invention of gunpowder and the constant improvement of firearms are enough in themselves to show that the advance of civilization has done nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/the-invention-of-gunpowder-and-the-constant-improvement-of-firearms/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Another success is the post-office, with its educating energy augmented by cheapness and guarded by a certain religious sentimentin mankind; so that the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/another-success-is-the-post-office-with-its-educating-energy/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“The mission is, not to replace old world mindlessness with new world mindlessness, but to put an end to all forms of brainless authoritarianism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/the-mission-is-not-to-replace-old-world-mindlessness-with-new-world/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [We are somehow the children of the planet, we are somehow its finest hour; we bind time, we bind the past, we anticipate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-somehow-the-children-of-the-planet-we-are-somehow-its-finest/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [Coal lay in ledges under the ground since the Flood, until a laborer with pick and windlass brings it to the surface. We may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/coal-lay-in-ledges-under-the-ground-since-the-flood-until-a-laborer/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Once we allow ourselves to be disobedient to the test of an accountant's profit, we have begun to change our civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/once-we-allow-ourselves-to-be-disobedient-to-the-test-of-an/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) > [Our laws and our institutions must necessarily be based upon and embody the teachings of the Redeemer of mankind. It is impossible that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-josiah-brewer/our-laws-and-our-institutions-must-necessarily-be-based-upon-and/) [David Josiah Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-josiah-brewer/) [Browse all 4,084 Civilization quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The whole idea of civilization as an understandable narrative is a bit nuts. 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