--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When a nation goes down, or a society…" description: "\"When a nation goes down, or a society perishes, one condition may always be found; they forgot where they came from. They lost sight of what had brough..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce4/carl-sandburg-952_always_when-a-nation-goes-down-or-a-society-per_903473.jpg" --- # When a nation goes down, or a society perishes, one… ![“When a nation goes down, or a society perishes, one condition may always be found; they forgot where they came from. They lost sight of what had brought them along.” quote by Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce4/carl-sandburg-952_always_when-a-nation-goes-down-or-a-society-per_903473.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce4/carl-sandburg-952_always_when-a-nation-goes-down-or-a-society-per_903473.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce4/carl-sandburg-952_always_when-a-nation-goes-down-or-a-society-per_903473.jpg) > “When a nation goes down, or a society perishes, one condition may always be found; they forgot where they came from. They lost sight of what had brought them along.” [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When a society forgets its origins, it loses purpose and direction, leading to decline. **In simple terms:** Forgetting roots leads to downfall. Key Takeaway Remember and honor your heritage. Themes history identity decline collective memory culture Mood reflective somber Type philosophical historical When to use this quote - education curricula - community events - family storytelling - public policy - museum exhibits Key Concepts Cultural continuity social cohesion nationalism Questions to Reflect On - What traditions do you uphold? - How can societies balance progress with heritage? A Different Perspective Nostalgia can romanticize the past, ignoring present challenges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Came Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/came-lost-1263725/) [Condition Forgot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/condition-forgot-1263724/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost/) [Lost Sight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost-sight/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Nation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nation/) [Sight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sight/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) [Society Perishes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society-perishes-1263723/) ## Related quotes > [For we know when a nation goes down and never comes back, when a society or a civilization perishes, one condition may always be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/for-we-know-when-a-nation-goes-down-and-never-comes-back-when-a/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [“If individuality has no play, society does not advance; if individuality breaks out of all bonds, society perishes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-henry-huxley/if-individuality-has-no-play-society-does-not-advance-if-2/) [Thomas Henry Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-henry-huxley/) > [Perhaps it is historically true that no order of society ever perishes save by its own hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/perhaps-it-is-historically-true-that-no-order-of-society-ever/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) > [If individuality has no play, society does not advance; if individuality breaks out of all bounds, society perishes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/if-individuality-has-no-play-society-does-not-advance-if/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [Jesus came for the least, the lost, and the last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-hickey/jesus-came-for-the-least-the-lost-and-the-last/) [Marilyn Hickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-hickey/) > [You came by but I lost you in different path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sashalabetta/you-came-by-but-i-lost-you-in-different-path/) [SashaLabetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sashalabetta/) > [The Monte Carlo casino refused to admit me until I was properly dressed so I went and found my stockings, and then came back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/the-monte-carlo-casino-refused-to-admit-me-until-i-was-properly/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [“First came him, then came I, then he came again and then I was lost forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alok-jagawat/first-came-him-then-came-i-then-he-came-again-and-then-i-was-lost/) [Alok Jagawat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alok-jagawat/) > [I had a goal. I was on a mission. And somewhere along the line I lost sight of what I was supposed to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riddick-bowe/i-had-a-goal-i-was-on-a-mission-and-somewhere-along-the-line-i-lost/) [Riddick Bowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riddick-bowe/) > [Having lost sight of our objectives, we redoubled our efforts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-kelly/having-lost-sight-of-our-objectives-we-redoubled-our-efforts/) [Walt Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-kelly/) > [I was a daredevil before, and after I lost my sight I was the same. I loved riding bikes, scooters and horses. I even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-bocelli/i-was-a-daredevil-before-and-after-i-lost-my-sight-i-was-the-same-i/) [Andrea Bocelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-bocelli/) > [Actually, being blind is not so bad. If you're born this way, you never know anything else and you don't wonder about it. Though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-feliciano/actually-being-blind-is-not-so-bad-if-you-re-born-this-way-you-never/) [Jose Feliciano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-feliciano/) > [“We've lost sight of How simple the task Really is— Hunt. Gather. Live. It's all been overly simplified In a complicated way. Now we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lynn-blumer/we-ve-lost-sight-of-how-simple-the-task-really-is-hunt-gather-live-it/) [A. Lynn Blumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lynn-blumer/) > [“she’d lost sight of the person she’d once meant to be, and she wasn’t sure she’d ever have the opportunity to find that person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/she-d-lost-sight-of-the-person-she-d-once-meant-to-be-and-she-wasn-t/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [“Who do you become when you've lost sight of who you are but the false you isn't one you can pretend to be anymore?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mccarthy/who-do-you-become-when-you-ve-lost-sight-of-who-you-are-but-the-false/) [Erin McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mccarthy/) ## More by Carl Sandburg > [Arithmetic is numbers you squeeze from your head to your hand to your pencil to your paper till you get the answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/arithmetic-is-numbers-you-squeeze-from-your-head-to-your-hand-to-your/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [Gather the stars if you wish it so Gather the songs and keep them. Gather the faces of women. Gather for keeping years and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/gather-the-stars-if-you-wish-it-so-gather-the-songs-and-keep-them/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [Back of every mistaken venture and defeat is the laughter of wisdom, if you listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/back-of-every-mistaken-venture-and-defeat-is-the-laughter-of-wisdom/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [Somebody's little girl- how easy it is to make a sob story over who she once was and who she now is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/somebody-s-little-girl-how-easy-it-is-to-make-a-sob-story-over-who/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [Let your heart look on white sea spray and be lonely. Love is a fool star. You and a ring of stars may mention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/let-your-heart-look-on-white-sea-spray-and-be-lonely-love-is-a-fool/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [Two bubbles found they had rainbows on their curves. They flickered out saying: "It was worth being a bubble, just to have held that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/two-bubbles-found-they-had-rainbows-on-their-curves-they-flickered/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [Poetry is a series of explanations of life, fading off into horizons too swift for explanations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/poetry-is-a-series-of-explanations-of-life-fading-off-into-horizons/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [There are ten men in me and I do not know or understand one of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/there-are-ten-men-in-me-and-i-do-not-know-or-understand-one-of-them/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [The drum in a dream pounds loud to the dreamer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/the-drum-in-a-dream-pounds-loud-to-the-dreamer/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [“Time is the most valuable coin in your life. You and you alone will determine how that coin will be spent. Be careful that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/time-is-the-most-valuable-coin-in-your-life-you-and-you-alone-will/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [Poetry is the opening and closing of a door, leaving those who look through to guess about what is seen during the moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/poetry-is-the-opening-and-closing-of-a-door-leaving-those-who-look/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [a women is like a tea bag.it's only when she is in hot water that you realize how strong she is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/a-women-is-like-a-tea-bag-it-s-only-when-she-is-in-hot-water-that-you/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [My name is Truth and I am the most elusive captive in the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/my-name-is-truth-and-i-am-the-most-elusive-captive-in-the-universe/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [I won't take my religion from any man who never works except with his mouth and never cherishes any memory except the face of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/i-won-t-take-my-religion-from-any-man-who-never-works-except-with-his/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [Rest is not a word of free people. Rest is a monarchical word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/rest-is-not-a-word-of-free-people-rest-is-a-monarchical-word/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) [Explore all 320 Carl Sandburg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When a nation goes down, or a society perishes, one condition may always be found; they forgot where they came from. 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