--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Over the long term, the eclipse rate of…" description: "\"Over the long term, the eclipse rate of great civilizations being overtaken is 100%. So you know how it's going to end. (Laughter) I'm more optimistic ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fea/charlie-munger-458_civilization_over-the-long-term-the-eclipse-rate-of-g_1823277.jpg" --- # Over the long term, the eclipse rate of great… ![“Over the long term, the eclipse rate of great civilizations being overtaken is 100%. So you know how it's going to end. (Laughter) I'm more optimistic about the staying power of what's good in this country. But just because you have a wonderful spouse doesn't mean you should treat her badly. You…” quote by Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fea/charlie-munger-458_civilization_over-the-long-term-the-eclipse-rate-of-g_1823277.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fea/charlie-munger-458_civilization_over-the-long-term-the-eclipse-rate-of-g_1823277.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fea/charlie-munger-458_civilization_over-the-long-term-the-eclipse-rate-of-g_1823277.jpg) > “Over the long term, the eclipse rate of great civilizations being overtaken is 100%. So you know how it's going to end. (Laughter) I'm more optimistic about the staying power of what's good in this country. But just because you have a wonderful spouse doesn't mean you should treat her badly. You have the feeling that some of the old virtues \[that made this country great\] are lessening. But there's so much good and so much strength left that I would not expect this country to suddenly founder.” [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Historical cycles show civilizations fall, yet optimism persists when focusing on enduring virtues and personal relationships, despite societal decline. **In simple terms:** Even if societies falter, good values and love endure. Key Takeaway Cultivate personal virtues and cherish relationships. Themes optimism virtue relationships Mood thoughtful hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - political discourse - marriage counseling - community building Key Concepts historical cycles personal responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance personal optimism with civic responsibility? - What virtues can you strengthen today? A Different Perspective Optimism may overlook systemic problems that need collective action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Eclipse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eclipse/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Founders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/founders/) [Laughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughter/) [Long term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-term/) [Optimistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/optimistic/) [Staying power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/staying-power/) [Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtue/) [Wonderful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful/) ## Related quotes > [What's the best way to get a good spouse? The best single way is to deserve a good spouse because a good spouse is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/what-s-the-best-way-to-get-a-good-spouse-the-best-single-way-is-to/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [I go through my tweets while writing and be like, 'Oh, this has staying power and is still relevant.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaboukie-young-white/i-go-through-my-tweets-while-writing-and-be-like-oh-this-has-staying/) [Jaboukie Young-White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaboukie-young-white/) > [Now, at this point, I can wrestle, I can go out there and cut an entertaining promo, I can also do the backstage stuff...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trish-stratus/now-at-this-point-i-can-wrestle-i-can-go-out-there-and-cut-an/) [Trish Stratus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trish-stratus/) > [God, I love you," he said, and laid his head on her belly, his arms locked around her hips. Madelyn slid her fingers into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-howard/god-i-love-you-he-said-and-laid-his-head-on-her-belly-his-arms-locked/) [Linda Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-howard/) > [“Remember and Share - To help designers of habit-forming technology assess the morality behind how they manipulate users, it is helpful to determine which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nir-eyal/remember-and-share-to-help-designers-of-habit-forming-technology/) [Nir Eyal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nir-eyal/) > [Commitment. Someone who'll go the distance. I need somebody with staying power who'll make me go weak in the knees. Commitment. And everything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leann-rimes/commitment-someone-who-ll-go-the-distance-i-need-somebody-with/) [LeAnn Rimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leann-rimes/) > [“As Jane stared at Vishous and felt his body against hers, she knew she was never letting him go. Ever. And she also knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/as-jane-stared-at-vishous-and-felt-his-body-against-hers-she-knew-she/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [Commitment cannot be taught; it can only be caught. I refer to the crusading spirit. Without the crusading spirit, you may have the starting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/y-c-james-yen/commitment-cannot-be-taught-it-can-only-be-caught-i-refer-to-the/) [Y. C. James Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/y-c-james-yen/) > [Such things as anguish, woe, affliction, guilt, feelings of awfulness, and utter wretchedness, the bread and butter of Days of Yore and Russians, sadly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marisha-pessl/such-things-as-anguish-woe-affliction-guilt-feelings-of-awfulness-and/) [Marisha Pessl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marisha-pessl/) > [Myths have a certain staying power because, really, they are aspirational - not always who we are, but always who we want to be.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/myths-have-a-certain-staying-power-because-really-they-are/) [Richard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/) > [Even if you have a big tune, live crowds can get sick of it. It's not just about the song but also the staying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-harris/even-if-you-have-a-big-tune-live-crowds-can-get-sick-of-it-it-s-not/) [Calvin Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-harris/) > [“I never trusted the women i was involved with to tell the truth,because the truth never changes,but as i knew so well,people did.I knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-gayle/i-never-trusted-the-women-i-was-involved-with-to-tell-the-truth/) [Mike Gayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-gayle/) > [There are individuals out there who use the body protection as a form of staying power to go on as long as possible. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viv-richards/there-are-individuals-out-there-who-use-the-body-protection-as-a-form/) [Viv Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viv-richards/) > [The true beauty of nature is her amplitude; she exists neither for nor because of us, and possesses a staying power that all our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-true-beauty-of-nature-is-her-amplitude-she-exists-neither-for-nor/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [One always hopes that you're going to have influence and staying power, but you never know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-frantz/one-always-hopes-that-you-re-going-to-have-influence-and-staying/) [Chris Frantz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-frantz/) ## More by Charlie Munger > [Almost all good businesses engage in 'pain today, gain tomorrow' activities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/almost-all-good-businesses-engage-in-pain-today-gain-tomorrow/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [If you want good behavior, don't pay on a commission basis. Our judges aren't paid so much a case. We keep them pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-good-behavior-don-t-pay-on-a-commission-basis-our-judges/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [Acquire worldly wisdom and adjust your behavior accordingly. If your new behavior gives you a little temporary unpopularity with your peer group then to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/acquire-worldly-wisdom-and-adjust-your-behavior-accordingly-if-your/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [I think time and time again, in reality, psychological notions and economic notions interplay, and the man who doesn't understand both is a damned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/i-think-time-and-time-again-in-reality-psychological-notions-and/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [I have what I call an iron prescription that helps me keep sane when I naturally drift toward preferring one ideology over another and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/i-have-what-i-call-an-iron-prescription-that-helps-me-keep-sane-when/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [The tax code gives you an enormous advantage if you can find some things you can just sit with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/the-tax-code-gives-you-an-enormous-advantage-if-you-can-find-some/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [The great lesson in microeconomics is to discriminate between when technology is going to help you and when it's going to kill you. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/the-great-lesson-in-microeconomics-is-to-discriminate-between-when/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [Some years ago one oil company bought a fertilizer company, and every other major oil company practically ran out and bought a fertilizer company.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/some-years-ago-one-oil-company-bought-a-fertilizer-company-and-every/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [ They \[Mc Donalds\] take people and give them a first job, which enables them to get a second job. They do a very good… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/they-mc-donalds-take-people-and-give-them-a-first-job-which-enables/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [What good is envy? It’s the one sin you can’t have any fun at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/what-good-is-envy-it-s-the-one-sin-you-can-t-have-any-fun-at/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [We believe that almost all really good investment records will involve relatively little diversification. The basic idea that it was hard to find good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/we-believe-that-almost-all-really-good-investment-records-will/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [It is way less certain to be a wonderful business in the future. The threat is alternative mediums of information. Every newspaper is scrambling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/it-is-way-less-certain-to-be-a-wonderful-business-in-the-future-the/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [In the corporate world, if you have analysts, due diligence, and no horse sense, you've just described hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/in-the-corporate-world-if-you-have-analysts-due-diligence-and-no/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [We have to have a special insight, or we'll put it in the 'too tough' basket. All of you have to look for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/we-have-to-have-a-special-insight-or-we-ll-put-it-in-the-too-tough/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [I've heard that one-half of the students at elite schools want to go into private equity or hedge funds. They want to keep up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/i-ve-heard-that-one-half-of-the-students-at-elite-schools-want-to-go/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) [Explore all 544 Charlie Munger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) ## 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": "Over the long term, the eclipse rate of great civilizations being overtaken is 100%. So you know how it's going to end. (Laughter) I'm more optimistic about the staying power of what's good in this country. But just because you have a wonderful spouse doesn't mean you should treat her badly. You have the feeling that some of the old virtues [that made this country great] are lessening. But there's so much good and so much strength left that I would not expect this country to suddenly founder.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charlie Munger" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/over-the-long-term-the-eclipse-rate-of-great-civilizations-being/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Civilization" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/over-the-long-term-the-eclipse-rate-of-great-civilizations-being/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fea/charlie-munger-458_civilization_over-the-long-term-the-eclipse-rate-of-g_1823277.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fea/charlie-munger-458_civilization_over-the-long-term-the-eclipse-rate-of-g_1823277.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fea/charlie-munger-458_civilization_over-the-long-term-the-eclipse-rate-of-g_1823277.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Over the long term, the eclipse rate of great civilizations being overtaken is 100%. So you know how it's…” — Charlie Munger", "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": "Charlie Munger", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Over the long term, the eclipse...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/over-the-long-term-the-eclipse-rate-of-great-civilizations-being/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/over-the-long-term-the-eclipse-rate-of-great-civilizations-being/#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 } } ] } ```