Accusation Quote by Fulton J. Sheen
“It is a characteristic of any decaying civilization that the great masses of the people are unconscious of the tragedy. Humanity in a crisis is generally insensitive to the gravity of the times in which it lives. Men do not want to believe their own times are wicked, partly because it involves too much self-accusation and principally because they have no standards outside of themselves by which to measure their times.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Public address, date unknown
Societies often ignore their own decline, lacking external standards to judge their era.
In simple terms: People ignore their own era's decline.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and confront societal decay.
Themes
history
selfawareness
morality
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
observational
When to use this quote
- political analysis
- education reform
- media critique
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
civilization decay
collective denial
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies develop external standards for self‑evaluation?
- What personal habits reveal collective denial?
A Different Perspective
People may resist acknowledging decline due to self‑accusation.
