---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No doubt Western civilization has in the…"
description: "\"No doubt Western civilization has in the past been full of wars and revolutions, and the national elements in our culture, even when they were ignored,..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/christopher-dawson-15516_aggressive_no-doubt-western-civilization-has-in-the_2873044.jpg"
---

#  No doubt Western civilization has in the past been full of…

![“No doubt Western civilization has in the past been full of wars and revolutions, and the national elements in our culture, even when they were ignored, always provided an unconscious driving force of passion and aggressive self-assertion” quote by Christopher Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/christopher-dawson-15516_aggressive_no-doubt-western-civilization-has-in-the_2873044.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/christopher-dawson-15516_aggressive_no-doubt-western-civilization-has-in-the_2873044.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/christopher-dawson-15516_aggressive_no-doubt-western-civilization-has-in-the_2873044.jpg)

> “No doubt Western civilization has in the past been full of wars and revolutions, and the national elements in our culture, even when they were ignored, always provided an unconscious driving force of passion and aggressive self-assertion”

[Christopher Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dawson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Western culture’s hidden drive of passion and aggression fuels wars, even when ignored.

**In simple terms:** Unconscious passion drives conflict.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and channel cultural forces constructively.

Themes

culture conflict history

Mood

analytical thoughtful

Type

historical philosophical

When to use this quote

- political movements
- military strategies
- social reforms

Key Concepts

collective unconscious national identity

Questions to Reflect On

- What modern forces echo this drive?
- How can societies harness passion positively?

A Different Perspective

Ignoring these forces can lead to repeated turmoil.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Driving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driving/) [Driving force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/driving-force/) [Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elements/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolution/) [Revolutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolutions/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Western](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western/) [Western civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western-civilization/)

## Related quotes

> [“Since 1789, despite numerous wars, revolutions and upheavals, humans have not managed to conceive of any new value.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/since-1789-despite-numerous-wars-revolutions-and-upheavals-humans/)

[Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/)

> [No single man makes history. History cannot be seen, just as one cannot see grass growing. Wars and revolutions, kings and Robespierres, are history's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-pasternak/no-single-man-makes-history-history-cannot-be-seen-just-as-one-cannot-2/)

[Boris Pasternak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-pasternak/)

> [All outward forms of change brought about by wars, revolutions, reformations, laws and ideologies have failed completely to change the basic nature of man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/all-outward-forms-of-change-brought-about-by-wars-revolutions/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [There are a lot of wonderful things created in our culture that have been ignored that can speak to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-amram/there-are-a-lot-of-wonderful-things-created-in-our-culture-that-have/)

[David Amram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-amram/)

> [“If we look at the rise of our own civilization over the past 100,000 years, since modern humans emerged in Africa, it can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/if-we-look-at-the-rise-of-our-own-civilization-over-the-past-100-000/)

[Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/)

> [Wars and revolutions and battles are due simply and solely to the body and its desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/wars-and-revolutions-and-battles-are-due-simply-and-solely-to-the/)

[Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/)

> [The incorrect supposition that we live in a world of scarce resources has done more than preclude most individuals from achieving economic success. Over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-zane-pilzer/the-incorrect-supposition-that-we-live-in-a-world-of-scarce-resources/)

[Paul Zane Pilzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-zane-pilzer/)

> [“Wars and revolutions and battles, you see, are due simply and solely to the body and its desires. All wars are undertaken for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wars-and-revolutions-and-battles-you-see-are-due-simply-and-solely-to/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The bases for historical knowledge are not empirical facts but written texts, even if these texts masquerade in the guise of wars or revolutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-bases-for-historical-knowledge-are-not-empirical-facts-but/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [This freedom of political discussion on the highest level is something which Western civilization has in common with that of classical antiquity, but with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dawson/this-freedom-of-political-discussion-on-the-highest-level-is/)

[Christopher Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dawson/)

> [Every great movement in the history of Western civilization from the Carolingian age to the nineteenth century has been an international movement which owed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dawson/every-great-movement-in-the-history-of-western-civilization-from-the/)

[Christopher Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dawson/)

> [Is Islam a religion of peace? I'm sure for some of the practitioners, but it's been hijacked by people who have an ideology that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/is-islam-a-religion-of-peace-i-m-sure-for-some-of-the-practitioners/)

[Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/)

> [In all of Western civilization, there have been societies that celebrating the homosexuality, the ancient Greeks. But they, in fact, protected the institution of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-blackwell/in-all-of-western-civilization-there-have-been-societies-that/)

[Ken Blackwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-blackwell/)

> [If, by deferring or maybe even skipping college entirely, students were foregoing their one hope for immersion in Western civilization, there would indeed be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-mac-donald/if-by-deferring-or-maybe-even-skipping-college-entirely-students-were/)

[Heather Mac Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-mac-donald/)

> [So-called Western Civilization, as practised in half of Europe, some of Asia and a few parts of North America, is better than anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/so-called-western-civilization-as-practised-in-half-of-europe-some-of/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

## More by Christopher Dawson

> [You can give men food and leisure and amusements and good conditions of work, and still they will remain unsatisfied. You can deny them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dawson/you-can-give-men-food-and-leisure-and-amusements-and-good-conditions/)

[Christopher Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dawson/)

> [It is Christian culture that has created Western man and the Western way of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dawson/it-is-christian-culture-that-has-created-western-man-and-the-western/)

[Christopher Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dawson/)

> [No civilisation, not even that of ancient Greece, has ever undergone such a continuous and profound process of change as Western Europe has done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dawson/no-civilisation-not-even-that-of-ancient-greece-has-ever-undergone/)

[Christopher Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dawson/)

> [The present age has seen a great slump in humanist values.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dawson/the-present-age-has-seen-a-great-slump-in-humanist-values/)

[Christopher Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dawson/)

> [Man can know his world without falling back on revelation; he can live his life without feeling his utter dependence on supernatural powers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dawson/man-can-know-his-world-without-falling-back-on-revelation-he-can-live/)

[Christopher Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dawson/)

> [The intercourse between the Mediterranean and the North or between the Atlantic and Central Europe was never purely economic or political; it also meant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dawson/the-intercourse-between-the-mediterranean-and-the-north-or-between/)

[Christopher Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dawson/)

> [The chief safeguard of personal freedom in a democratic society is the anarchy and disorder of capitalist individualism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dawson/the-chief-safeguard-of-personal-freedom-in-a-democratic-society-is/)

[Christopher Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dawson/)

> [And so, today, if the state can no longer appeal to the old moral principles that belong to the Christian tradition, it will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dawson/and-so-today-if-the-state-can-no-longer-appeal-to-the-old-moral/)

[Christopher Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dawson/)

> [Humanism and Divinity are as complementary to one another in theorder of culture, as are Nature and Grace in the order of being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dawson/humanism-and-divinity-are-as-complementary-to-one-another-in-theorder/)

[Christopher Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dawson/)

> [We have entered a new phase of culture - we may call it the Age of the Cinema - in which the most amazing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dawson/we-have-entered-a-new-phase-of-culture-we-may-call-it-the-age-of-the/)

[Christopher Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dawson/)

> [“Culture was actually humanity’s attempt to extend the womb.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dawson/culture-was-actually-humanity-s-attempt-to-extend-the-womb/)

[Christopher Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dawson/)

> [For humanism also appeals to man as man. It seeks to liberate the universal qualities of human nature from the narrow limitations of blood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dawson/for-humanism-also-appeals-to-man-as-man-it-seeks-to-liberate-the/)

[Christopher Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dawson/)

> [This freedom of political discussion on the highest level is something which Western civilization has in common with that of classical antiquity, but with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dawson/this-freedom-of-political-discussion-on-the-highest-level-is/)

[Christopher Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dawson/)

> [The Church as a divine society possess an internal principle of life which is capable of assimilating the most diverse materials and imprinting her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dawson/the-church-as-a-divine-society-possess-an-internal-principle-of-life/)

[Christopher Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dawson/)

> [If man attempts to suppress the animal side of his nature by a sheer effort of conscious will, nature finds a hundred unexpected and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dawson/if-man-attempts-to-suppress-the-animal-side-of-his-nature-by-a-sheer/)

[Christopher Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dawson/)

[Explore all 43 Christopher Dawson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dawson/)

## More Aggressive quotes

> [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/)

[Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/)

> [Good girls don't hurt other people's feelings. Good girls are not overly aggressive, competitive, or boastful. Good girls please others. But what good girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jane-gilman/good-girls-don-t-hurt-other-people-s-feelings-good-girls-are-not/)

[Susan Jane Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jane-gilman/)

> [It’s a shameful moment for U.S. media when it insists on being subservient to the grotesque propaganda agencies of a violent, aggressive state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-shameful-moment-for-u-s-media-when-it-insists-on-being/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [“Passive...Aggressive...Pussy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-azzarello/passive-aggressive-pussy/)

[Brian Azzarello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-azzarello/)

> [I'm not a fan of endless mystery in storytelling - I like to know where the mythology's going; I like to get there in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kripke/i-m-not-a-fan-of-endless-mystery-in-storytelling-i-like-to-know-where/)

[Eric Kripke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kripke/)

> [Most conservatives - by which I mean normal people - have little conception of the aggressive and revolutionary force that confronts them. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-bethell/most-conservatives-by-which-i-mean-normal-people-have-little/)

[Tom Bethell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-bethell/)

> [If I serve good and play aggressive from the baseline, I can beat everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karolina-pliskova/if-i-serve-good-and-play-aggressive-from-the-baseline-i-can-beat/)

[Karolina Pliskova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karolina-pliskova/)

> [I'm just trying to be aggressive. Be aggressive with my shot. Be aggressive going to the rim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-murray/i-m-just-trying-to-be-aggressive-be-aggressive-with-my-shot-be/)

[Jamal Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-murray/)

> [I see other teams playing aggressive, attacking football, they are games I switch on and watch. They are the football teams I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelos-postecoglou/i-see-other-teams-playing-aggressive-attacking-football-they-are/)

[Angelos Postecoglou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelos-postecoglou/)

> [You cannot will yourself to be happy while believing that you have no right to happiness, or that you are unworthy of it. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-roberts/you-cannot-will-yourself-to-be-happy-while-believing-that-you-have-no/)

[Jane Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-roberts/)

> [I have definitely noticed I am very passionate. So if I'm fighting with someone I'll be SO super loud and aggressive, and make sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-martinez/i-have-definitely-noticed-i-am-very-passionate-so-if-i-m-fighting/)

[Melanie Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-martinez/)

> [ I think the president's \[Barack Obama\] position has been very clear on Syria. He wants more aggressive, he's put the Special Ops on the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-williams/i-think-the-president-s-barack-obama-position-has-been-very-clear-on/)

[Juan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-williams/)

> [As Americans, we want peace - we work and sacrifice for peace. But there can be no peace if our security depends on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/as-americans-we-want-peace-we-work-and-sacrifice-for-peace-but-there/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [It is deeply concerning to learn that Linda Thomas-Greenfield repeatedly praised autocratic China's aggressive and troubling expansion into Africa during a 2019 speech at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hagerty/it-is-deeply-concerning-to-learn-that-linda-thomas-greenfield/)

[Bill Hagerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hagerty/)

Browse all 1,351 Aggressive quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "No doubt Western civilization has in the past been full of wars and revolutions, and the national elements in our culture, even when they were ignored, always provided an unconscious driving force of passion and aggressive self-assertion",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Christopher Dawson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dawson/no-doubt-western-civilization-has-in-the-past-been-full-of-wars-and/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Aggressive"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dawson/no-doubt-western-civilization-has-in-the-past-been-full-of-wars-and/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/christopher-dawson-15516_aggressive_no-doubt-western-civilization-has-in-the_2873044.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/christopher-dawson-15516_aggressive_no-doubt-western-civilization-has-in-the_2873044.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e4/christopher-dawson-15516_aggressive_no-doubt-western-civilization-has-in-the_2873044.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“No doubt Western civilization has in the past been full of wars and revolutions, and the national elements…” — Christopher Dawson",
                "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": "Christopher Dawson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dawson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "No doubt Western civilization has in...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dawson/no-doubt-western-civilization-has-in-the-past-been-full-of-wars-and/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dawson/no-doubt-western-civilization-has-in-the-past-been-full-of-wars-and/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
