--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The nature of a society is largely…" description: "\"The nature of a society is largely determined by the direction in which talent and ambition flowby the tilt of the social landscape.\" — Eric Hoffer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/eric-hoffer-343_ambition_the-nature-of-a-society-is-largely-deter_965751.jpg" --- # The nature of a society is largely determined by the… ![“The nature of a society is largely determined by the direction in which talent and ambition flowby the tilt of the social landscape.” quote by Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/eric-hoffer-343_ambition_the-nature-of-a-society-is-largely-deter_965751.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/eric-hoffer-343_ambition_the-nature-of-a-society-is-largely-deter_965751.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/eric-hoffer-343_ambition_the-nature-of-a-society-is-largely-deter_965751.jpg) > “The nature of a society is largely determined by the direction in which talent and ambition flowby the tilt of the social landscape.” [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Societal direction is shaped by where talent and ambition are directed. **In simple terms:** Talent flow shapes society. Key Takeaway Guide talent toward positive goals. Themes society ambition talent flow Mood analytical reflective Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - education - career planning - urban development - political movements Key Concepts social dynamics leadership Questions to Reflect On - How can institutions attract talent for the common good? - What incentives steer ambition constructively? A Different Perspective Talent may be misdirected by existing structures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Determined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determined/) [Landscape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/landscape/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) ## Related quotes > [The new social landscape is rich with emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-solis/the-new-social-landscape-is-rich-with-emotion/) [Brian Solis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-solis/) > [That Britain today is a liberal society is largely because of the philosophy and outlook of the Anglican Church, which did so much to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-winston/that-britain-today-is-a-liberal-society-is-largely-because-of-the/) [Robert Winston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-winston/) > [I like to teach. And when I spot talent without ambition, it makes me angry. I give students short shrift if they're not willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-murray-abraham/i-like-to-teach-and-when-i-spot-talent-without-ambition-it-makes-me/) [F. Murray Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-murray-abraham/) > [“An average person with average talent, ambition and education can outstrip the most brilliant genius in our society, if that person has clear, focused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/an-average-person-with-average-talent-ambition-and-education-can/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [A person with average talent, ambition and education, can outstrip a genius in society, if that person has focused goals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/a-person-with-average-talent-ambition-and-education-can-outstrip-a/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [We remain a country where a young person's chance of fulfilling their potential rests on the vagaries of where they were born and what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciana-berger/we-remain-a-country-where-a-young-person-s-chance-of-fulfilling-their/) [Luciana Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciana-berger/) > [Helen: You've got talent and ambition. Don: Talent? Ambition? That's dead long ago. That's drowned. That's drifting around with a bloated belly on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-wilder/helen-you-ve-got-talent-and-ambition-don-talent-ambition-that-s-dead/) [Billy Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-wilder/) > [“What elevates one and not another to the level of genius is not only talent and ambition and luck, but a gift for turning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-swafford/what-elevates-one-and-not-another-to-the-level-of-genius-is-not-only/) [Jan Swafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-swafford/) > [Good and evil grow up together and are bound in an equilibrium that cannot be sundered. The most we can do is try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/good-and-evil-grow-up-together-and-are-bound-in-an-equilibrium-that/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [When you have birds you stare at them a lot and their eyes are recessed on their head. When they look at something they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-rall/when-you-have-birds-you-stare-at-them-a-lot-and-their-eyes-are/) [Ted Rall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-rall/) > [Turtles hate heights. They don't even like being a few feet off the ground. It's the main reason they have resisted evolution for so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/turtles-hate-heights-they-don-t-even-like-being-a-few-feet-off-the/) [Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/) > [I was 65 in May, and when I have just shaved, I see my father. I realise that I now have the same facial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wakeman/i-was-65-in-may-and-when-i-have-just-shaved-i-see-my-father-i-realise/) [Rick Wakeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wakeman/) > [My only wish is that we leave room for hope. There is good and bad in all things. We find what we expect to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/my-only-wish-is-that-we-leave-room-for-hope-there-is-good-and-bad-in/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) > [The truth is that family values, as used by the American Family Association, Dan Quayle, and the southern Baptists, has nothing to do with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-sullivan/the-truth-is-that-family-values-as-used-by-the-american-family/) Morris Sullivan > [You're so amazing! You don't just rock my world, You tilt this Earth!..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-re-so-amazing-you-don-t-just-rock-my-world-you-tilt-this-earth/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Eric Hoffer > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [“We lie the loudest when we lie to ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/we-lie-the-loudest-when-we-lie-to-ourselves/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Our originality shows itself most strikingly not in what we wholly originate but in what we do with that which we borrow from others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/our-originality-shows-itself-most-strikingly-not-in-what-we-wholly/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [The creative mind is the playful mind. Philosophy is the play and dance of ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-creative-mind-is-the-playful-mind-philosophy-is-the-play-and/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [It is also plausible that those movements with the greatest inner contradiction and between profession and practice - that is to say with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/it-is-also-plausible-that-those-movements-with-the-greatest-inner/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [The best part of the art of living is to know how to grow old gracefully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-best-part-of-the-art-of-living-is-to-know-how-to-grow-old/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [“In the alchemy of man's soul almost all noble attributes--courage, honor, love, hope, faith, duty, loyalty, etc.--can be transmuted into ruthlessness. Compassion alone stands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/in-the-alchemy-of-man-s-soul-almost-all-noble-attributes-courage/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [The act of self-denial seems to confer on us the right to be harsh and merciless toward others. The impression somehow prevails that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-act-of-self-denial-seems-to-confer-on-us-the-right-to-be-harsh/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [A nation without dregs and malcontents, is orderly, decent, peaceful and pleasant, but perhaps without the seed of things to come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/a-nation-without-dregs-and-malcontents-is-orderly-decent-peaceful-and/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Compassion alone stands apart from the continuous traffic between good and evil proceeding within us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/compassion-alone-stands-apart-from-the-continuous-traffic-between/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [There are many who find a good alibi far more attractive than an achievement. For an achievement does not settle anything permanently. We still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/there-are-many-who-find-a-good-alibi-far-more-attractive-than-an/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [A war is not won if the defeated enemy has not been turned into a friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/a-war-is-not-won-if-the-defeated-enemy-has-not-been-turned-into-a/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Man is the only creature that strives to surpass himself, and yearns for the impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/man-is-the-only-creature-that-strives-to-surpass-himself-and-yearns/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [This food-and-shelter theory concerning man's efforts is without insight. The desire for praise is more imperative than the desire for food and shelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/this-food-and-shelter-theory-concerning-man-s-efforts-is-without/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) [Explore all 658 Eric Hoffer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) ## More Ambition quotes > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [One needs more than ambition and talent to make a success of anything, really. There must be love and a vocation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessye-norman/one-needs-more-than-ambition-and-talent-to-make-a-success-of-anything/) [Jessye Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessye-norman/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-s-worth-is-no-greater-than-the-worth-of-his-ambitions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm hungry and ambitious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julen-lopetegui/i-m-hungry-and-ambitious/) [Julen Lopetegui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julen-lopetegui/) > [“I was ambitious and desperate to direct my first film, so I capitulated and blew it. Never again. Never fucking again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-was-ambitious-and-desperate-to-direct-my-first-film-so-i/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Work towards your goal and dont watch the post size,its either they hate,or like you.there is no room for both sides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-buabeng/work-towards-your-goal-and-dont-watch-the-post-size-its-either-they/) [Isaac Buabeng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-buabeng/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I almost never have a plan for myself... I'm not ambitious in that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/i-almost-never-have-a-plan-for-myself-i-m-not-ambitious-in-that-way/) [Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/) > [I play for high stakes and given an audience - there is no act too daring or too noble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-play-for-high-stakes-and-given-an-audience-there-is-no-act-too/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [There's nothing worse than a leader who lacks ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-nothing-worse-than-a-leader-who-lacks-ambition/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If i can't even protect my captain's dream, then whatever ambition i have is nothing but talk..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoro/if-i-can-t-even-protect-my-captain-s-dream-then-whatever-ambition-i/) [Zoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoro/) > [It may seem unattainable but if you put actions, your heart and your mind into it, you will prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/london-mond/it-may-seem-unattainable-but-if-you-put-actions-your-heart-and-your/) [London Mond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/london-mond/) > [Obligation is what's leading us to toward successful, and what keeps us moving towards the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wazim-shaw/obligation-is-what-s-leading-us-to-toward-successful-and-what-keeps/) [Wazim Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wazim-shaw/) [Browse all 4,601 Ambition quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The nature of a society is largely determined by the direction in which talent and ambition flowby the tilt of the social landscape.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eric Hoffer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-nature-of-a-society-is-largely-determined-by-the-direction-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambition" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-nature-of-a-society-is-largely-determined-by-the-direction-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/eric-hoffer-343_ambition_the-nature-of-a-society-is-largely-deter_965751.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/eric-hoffer-343_ambition_the-nature-of-a-society-is-largely-deter_965751.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/eric-hoffer-343_ambition_the-nature-of-a-society-is-largely-deter_965751.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The nature of a society is largely determined by the direction in which talent and ambition flowby the tilt…” — Eric Hoffer", "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": "Eric Hoffer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The nature of a society is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-nature-of-a-society-is-largely-determined-by-the-direction-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-nature-of-a-society-is-largely-determined-by-the-direction-in/#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 } } ] } ```