--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Scopes isn’t on trial; civilization is on…" description: "\"Scopes isn’t on trial; civilization is on trial.\" — Clarence Darrow" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/219/clarence-darrow-1714_adversity_scopes-isn-t-on-trial-civilization-is-on_654824.png" --- # Scopes isn’t on trial; civilization is on trial. ![“Scopes isn’t on trial; civilization is on trial.” quote by Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/219/clarence-darrow-1714_adversity_scopes-isn-t-on-trial-civilization-is-on_654824.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/219/clarence-darrow-1714_adversity_scopes-isn-t-on-trial-civilization-is-on_654824.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/219/clarence-darrow-1714_adversity_scopes-isn-t-on-trial-civilization-is-on_654824.png) > “Scopes isn’t on trial; civilization is on trial.” [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Civilization itself is under scrutiny, not just an individual case, implying societal systems are being judged. **In simple terms:** Society, being judged, not just a person. Key Takeaway Question and improve societal structures. Themes justice society critique Mood critical thoughtful Type political philosophical When to use this quote - legal reform - education policy - environmental activism - public health Key Concepts ethics law collective responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of civilization need reform? - How can individuals influence systemic change? A Different Perspective Changing civilization is complex and may resist change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Civilization Trial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization-trial-5229551/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Isn Trial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isn-trial-4309220/) [Scope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scope/) [Scopes Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scopes-isn-5229552/) [Trial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trial/) [Trial Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trial-civilization-5229550/) [Trials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trials/) ## Related quotes > [A friend of mine who passed through a most severe trial, when I discussed it with him, he said simply, if it’s fair, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/a-friend-of-mine-who-passed-through-a-most-severe-trial-when-i/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [“And now, after having vainly inflicted upon the social body so many systems, let them end where they ought to have begun—reject all systems,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/and-now-after-having-vainly-inflicted-upon-the-social-body-so-many/) [Frédéric Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/an-eye-for-an-eye-will-only-make-the-whole-world-blind/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“that the only Indians who went on trial were”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-boo/that-the-only-indians-who-went-on-trial-were/) [Katherine Boo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-boo/) > [Running for office is similar to being a trial lawyer in a very long trial. 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Followers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-foster/christians-know-that-joy-is-more-than-a-feeling-or-an-on-again-off/) [George Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-foster/) > [“To begin with, this case should never have come to trial. 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'Show no fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-kate/trial-by-fire-roland-whistled-patting-luce-on-the-back-show-no-fear/) [Lauren Kate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-kate/) > [A criminal trial is never about seeking justice for the victim. If it were, there could be only one verdict: guilty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/a-criminal-trial-is-never-about-seeking-justice-for-the-victim-if-it/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [“JUDGE LITTLEFIELD (re: the writ): Cunningham, I do not like it when lawyers go over my head. CUNNINGHAM: You gave me no choice. EL-FAYOUMY:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-adly-guirgis/judge-littlefield-re-the-writ-cunningham-i-do-not-like-it-when/) [Stephen Adly Guirgis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-adly-guirgis/) > [I was never given a trial. I never went before any magistrate, nor did my parents. To this day, I do not know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-never-given-a-trial-i-never-went-before-any-magistrate-nor-did/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Clarence Darrow > [We know life is futile. A man who considers that his life is of very wonderful importance is awfully close to a padded cell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/we-know-life-is-futile-a-man-who-considers-that-his-life-is-of-very/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [Great wealth often curses all who touch it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/great-wealth-often-curses-all-who-touch-it/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [Punishment as punishment is not admissible unless the offender has had the free will to select his course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/punishment-as-punishment-is-not-admissible-unless-the-offender-has/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [“One of the bravest, grandest champions of human liberty the world has ever seen. {Darrow on the great Robert Ingersoll }”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/one-of-the-bravest-grandest-champions-of-human-liberty-the-world-has/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [I cannot tell and I shall never know how many words of mine might have given birth to cruelty in place of love and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/i-cannot-tell-and-i-shall-never-know-how-many-words-of-mine-might/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [“As long as the world shall last there will be wrongs, and if no man objected and if no man rebelled, those wrongs would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/as-long-as-the-world-shall-last-there-will-be-wrongs-and-if-no-man/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/i-have-never-killed-a-man-but-i-have-read-many-obituaries-with-great/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [Lost causes are the only ones worth fighting for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/lost-causes-are-the-only-ones-worth-fighting-for/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [One believes in the truthfulness of a man because of his long experience with the man, and because the man has always told a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/one-believes-in-the-truthfulness-of-a-man-because-of-his-long/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [Physical deformity, calls forth our charity. But the infinite misfortune of moral deformity calls forth nothing but hatred and vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/physical-deformity-calls-forth-our-charity-but-the-infinite/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [Men have always been obliged to fight to preserve liberty. Constitutions and laws do not safeguard liberty. It can be preserved only by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/men-have-always-been-obliged-to-fight-to-preserve-liberty/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [“ Robert G. Ingersoll was a great man. a wonderful intellect, a great soul of matchless courage, one of the great men of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/robert-g-ingersoll-was-a-great-man-a-wonderful-intellect-a-great-soul/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [Everybody is a potential murderer. I've never killed anyone, but I frequently get satisfaction reading the obituary notices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/everybody-is-a-potential-murderer-i-ve-never-killed-anyone-but-i/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [The first half of our lives are ruined by our parents and the second half by our children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/the-first-half-of-our-lives-are-ruined-by-our-parents-and-the-second/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) > [If there is a soul, what is it, and where did it come from, and where does it go? Can anyone who is guided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/if-there-is-a-soul-what-is-it-and-where-did-it-come-from-and-where/) [Clarence Darrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) [Explore all 213 Clarence Darrow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/) ## More Adversity quotes > [We love playing together and we love adversity. You know, back-to-back, the two best teams in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/we-love-playing-together-and-we-love-adversity-you-know-back-to-back/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [When we have public success we also have private struggles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deion-sanders/when-we-have-public-success-we-also-have-private-struggles/) [Deion Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deion-sanders/) > [“The threats that resurfaced in the past 10 years were not an aberration. Al Qaeda and terrorism or one such threat, but it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-friedman/the-threats-that-resurfaced-in-the-past-10-years-were-not-an/) [George Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-friedman/) > [He who is content with what has been done is an obstacle in the path of progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/he-who-is-content-with-what-has-been-done-is-an-obstacle-in-the-path/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [“Friction is necessary. Ease of life leads to complacency and the atrophy of the human will and spirit. Within our struggles lives our strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-versey/friction-is-necessary-ease-of-life-leads-to-complacency-and-the/) [Jason Versey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-versey/) > [“Every adversity is just another opportunity to excel a little more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/every-adversity-is-just-another-opportunity-to-excel-a-little-more/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Just because she doesn't talk about it, doesn't mean she isn't feeling it. She hurts, but she won't wear it on her sleeve. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfa-h/just-because-she-doesn-t-talk-about-it-doesn-t-mean-she-isn-t-feeling/) [Alfa H](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfa-h/) > [Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-buckham-kennedy/every-trial-endured-and-weathered-in-the-right-spirit-makes-a-soul/) [James Buckham Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-buckham-kennedy/) > [Honesty, by evil fortune tried, Finds in adversity the seed of praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/honesty-by-evil-fortune-tried-finds-in-adversity-the-seed-of-praise/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [“Struggles are not associated to a particular people or creed, everyone struggles, not for the same reasons, but each has a personal struggle at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-chirisa/struggles-are-not-associated-to-a-particular-people-or-creed-everyone/) [Wayne Chirisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-chirisa/) > [“Watch a man in times of adversity to discover what kind of man he is; for then at last words of truth are drawn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/watch-a-man-in-times-of-adversity-to-discover-what-kind-of-man-he-is/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [God often hides His blessing in trouble or trial, which makes it all the sweeter when it comes our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/god-often-hides-his-blessing-in-trouble-or-trial-which-makes-it-all/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“Life is not about less mistakes but about more trials”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-sever/life-is-not-about-less-mistakes-but-about-more-trials/) [S.E. SEVER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-sever/) > [Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/show-your-contempt-for-the-problem-and-your-concern-for-the-person/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [When everything feels like an uphill struggle, just think of the view from the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-everything-feels-like-an-uphill-struggle-just-think-of-the-view/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 5,001 Adversity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Scopes isn’t on trial; civilization is on trial.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Clarence Darrow" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/scopes-isn-t-on-trial-civilization-is-on-trial/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adversity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/scopes-isn-t-on-trial-civilization-is-on-trial/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/219/clarence-darrow-1714_adversity_scopes-isn-t-on-trial-civilization-is-on_654824.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/219/clarence-darrow-1714_adversity_scopes-isn-t-on-trial-civilization-is-on_654824.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/219/clarence-darrow-1714_adversity_scopes-isn-t-on-trial-civilization-is-on_654824.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Scopes isn’t on trial; civilization is on trial.” — Clarence Darrow", "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": "Clarence Darrow", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-darrow/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Scopes isn’t on trial; civilization is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/scopes-isn-t-on-trial-civilization-is-on-trial/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-darrow/scopes-isn-t-on-trial-civilization-is-on-trial/#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 } } ] } ```