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Ambitious Quote by Edward Gibbon

“So long as mankind shall continue to lavish more praise upon its destroyers than upon its benefactors war shall remain the chief pursuit of ambitious minds.” quote by Edward Gibbon
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“So long as mankind shall continue to lavish more praise upon its destroyers than upon its benefactors war shall remain the chief pursuit of ambitious minds.”

Edward Gibbon

About This Quote

Source Book: The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, 1776

Human tendency to glorify destroyers over benefactors fuels ongoing conflict and ambition.

In simple terms: People praise destroyers, causing war.

Key Takeaway

Value constructive contributions over destruction.

Themes

history power morality

Mood

critical thoughtful

Type

philosophical historical

When to use this quote

  • political discourse
  • media analysis
  • education curricula

Key Concepts

human nature celebration of violence ethical priorities

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can societies shift praise toward benefactors?
  • What examples show this shift?
A Different Perspective

Changing cultural narratives is difficult.

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