--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The advent of civilization--an overly…" description: "\"“The advent of civilization--an overly optimistic word--didn't change things as much as one might think, because no matter how large a city or empire b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6c/gene-doucette-17956_change-things_the-advent-of-civilization-an-overly-opt_2643389.jpg" --- # The advent of civilization--an overly optimistic… ![“The advent of civilization--an overly optimistic word--didn't change things as much as one might think, because no matter how large a city or empire became there was always another "them" to go out and kill. And when organized religion really got going... well, there's a fantastic excuse to murder…” quote by Gene Doucette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6c/gene-doucette-17956_change-things_the-advent-of-civilization-an-overly-opt_2643389.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6c/gene-doucette-17956_change-things_the-advent-of-civilization-an-overly-opt_2643389.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6c/gene-doucette-17956_change-things_the-advent-of-civilization-an-overly-opt_2643389.jpg) > ““The advent of civilization--an overly optimistic word--didn't change things as much as one might think, because no matter how large a city or empire became there was always another "them" to go out and kill. And when organized religion really got going... well, there's a fantastic excuse to murder people in bunches.”” [Gene Doucette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-doucette/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Civilization’s growth didn’t reduce violence; organized religion often justified mass murder. **In simple terms:** Civilization didn’t curb killing; religion sometimes excused it. Key Takeaway Critically examine cultural narratives about progress. Themes civilization violence religion Mood critical thought‑provoking Type philosophical academic When to use this quote - education curricula - media discourse - policy debates Key Concepts historical analysis ethical philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How can societies promote peace without dismissing faith? - What alternatives replace religion’s role in community? A Different Perspective Not all religious movements are violent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Organized religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organized-religion/) ## Related quotes > [“When prisoners of hope are confronted about their lack of activity and overly optimistic projections, they usually respond in a nonchalant manner. I’ve even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-weinberg/when-prisoners-of-hope-are-confronted-about-their-lack-of-activity/) [Mike Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-weinberg/) > [Of course the fall semester didn’t start for another eight weeks or so. There was always a chance we were both being overly optimistic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-black/of-course-the-fall-semester-didn-t-start-for-another-eight-weeks-or/) [Jenna Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-black/) > [I'm a long-term optimist, and I don't think the problems with our society are from being overly optimistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-macleod/i-m-a-long-term-optimist-and-i-don-t-think-the-problems-with-our/) [Ken MacLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-macleod/) > [It has been said that the United States was deceived into entering and expanding the Vietnam War by its own overoptimistic propaganda. The record…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-schell/it-has-been-said-that-the-united-states-was-deceived-into-entering/) [Jonathan Schell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-schell/) > [I think being an immigrant makes me overly optimistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilhan-omar/i-think-being-an-immigrant-makes-me-overly-optimistic/) [Ilhan Omar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilhan-omar/) > [“Of course, it's easy to be overly optimistic when it comes to Egyptian reform. The country has a history of false promises and backtracking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-bradley/of-course-it-s-easy-to-be-overly-optimistic-when-it-comes-to-egyptian/) [John R. Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-bradley/) > [“With the acuity of hindsight, shoving an American microbe onto a Panamanian frog seems overly optimistic, not to mention a bit imperialist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-yong/with-the-acuity-of-hindsight-shoving-an-american-microbe-onto-a/) [Ed Yong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-yong/) > [Analysts have always been overly optimistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dreman/analysts-have-always-been-overly-optimistic/) [David Dreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dreman/) > [“You dance?” “I think that might be overly optimistic,” he said. “I do something. I’ll try not to hurt you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-carr/you-dance-i-think-that-might-be-overly-optimistic-he-said-i-do/) [Robyn Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-carr/) > [If you are feeling overly optimistic the Republican Candidates Debate is on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-schaal/if-you-are-feeling-overly-optimistic-the-republican-candidates-debate/) [Kristen Schaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-schaal/) > [I know I sound overly optimistic, but you know me, I've always been an optimistic guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-rivera/i-know-i-sound-overly-optimistic-but-you-know-me-i-ve-always-been-an/) [Ron Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-rivera/) > [In terms of earthly life as you understand it, it is overly optimistic to imagine that eventually all illnesses will be conquered, all relationships…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-roberts/in-terms-of-earthly-life-as-you-understand-it-it-is-overly-optimistic/) [Jane Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-roberts/) > [“I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. ... These two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-m-completely-in-favor-of-the-separation-of-church-and-state-these/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [In my opinion, most organized religion does neither agentic service nor relational nurturance very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/in-my-opinion-most-organized-religion-does-neither-agentic-service/) [Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) ## More by Gene Doucette > [“Religion is still the very best way to get someone to accept something unabashedly ridiculous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-doucette/religion-is-still-the-very-best-way-to-get-someone-to-accept/) [Gene Doucette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-doucette/) > [ “\[T\]here may be no more depressing place on the planet than the floor of a casino.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-doucette/t-here-may-be-no-more-depressing-place-on-the-planet-than-the-floor/) [Gene Doucette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-doucette/) > [“(A note: succubi are notorious amateur psychologists and have been since well before Freud. In fact I have it on good authority that Freud…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-doucette/a-note-succubi-are-notorious-amateur-psychologists-and-have-been/) [Gene Doucette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-doucette/) > [“Are you trying to talk me out of going?” “I am trying to figure out who you really are.” “Same man I was last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-doucette/are-you-trying-to-talk-me-out-of-going-i-am-trying-to-figure-out-who/) [Gene Doucette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-doucette/) > [“Like most remarkable things, nobody realized it was remarkable as it happened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-doucette/like-most-remarkable-things-nobody-realized-it-was-remarkable-as-it/) [Gene Doucette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-doucette/) > [“So, you'd rather just regurgitate what these books tell you than know what really happened?" "Exactly." "No quest for truth? Where's your spirit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-doucette/so-you-d-rather-just-regurgitate-what-these-books-tell-you-than-know/) [Gene Doucette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-doucette/) > [“We just met and we're already doing heroin?" I said. "Seems sudden.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-doucette/we-just-met-and-we-re-already-doing-heroin-i-said-seems-sudden/) [Gene Doucette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-doucette/) > [“(Very few vampires bother to sleep in a coffin, if you must know. Lugging one around everywhere you go is inconvenient, and it almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-doucette/very-few-vampires-bother-to-sleep-in-a-coffin-if-you-must-know/) [Gene Doucette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-doucette/) > [“I was suicidal for two solid centuries once. That was during the early part of what they now call the Dark Ages, in medieval…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-doucette/i-was-suicidal-for-two-solid-centuries-once-that-was-during-the-early/) [Gene Doucette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-doucette/) > [“New York is the one place in the world that actively encourages rudeness, because that's the only way to get past the fake bag…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-doucette/new-york-is-the-one-place-in-the-world-that-actively-encourages/) [Gene Doucette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-doucette/) > [“The dragon roared. Terrible sound, that. Made my testicles shrink.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-doucette/the-dragon-roared-terrible-sound-that-made-my-testicles-shrink/) [Gene Doucette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-doucette/) > [“So, what do I call you?" I asked. "Whomp." "Whomp? Your given name?" "It's the sound people make when I hit them in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-doucette/so-what-do-i-call-you-i-asked-whomp-whomp-your-given-name-it-s-the/) [Gene Doucette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-doucette/) > [“...while there may have been gods, they weren't particularly well defined. If, for instance, something unusually lucky happened, one might declare that a god--pick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-doucette/while-there-may-have-been-gods-they-weren-t-particularly-well-defined/) [Gene Doucette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-doucette/) > [“Most every old civilizations looks at others--members of the same species but not of the same tribe--as wild men. It's a common rationalization, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-doucette/most-every-old-civilizations-looks-at-others-members-of-the-same/) [Gene Doucette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-doucette/) > [“(As a side note: I thought money was a bad idea way back when it was first invented. I remember the moment very clearly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-doucette/as-a-side-note-i-thought-money-was-a-bad-idea-way-back-when-it-was/) [Gene Doucette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-doucette/) [Explore all 36 Gene Doucette quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-doucette/) ## More Change things quotes > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [“I’m not saying Jesus won’t come back; I’ve just decided I can’t keep hoping to be rescued from my life. Maybe it’s up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-hartzler/i-m-not-saying-jesus-won-t-come-back-i-ve-just-decided-i-can-t-keep/) [Aaron Hartzler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-hartzler/) > [What really distinguishes this generation in all countries from earlier generations ... is its determination to act, its joy in action, the assurance of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/what-really-distinguishes-this-generation-in-all-countries-from/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [“why would white dudes want to change things when they held all the cards?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/why-would-white-dudes-want-to-change-things-when-they-held-all-the/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [“Gandhi is best remembered for his adherence to the principle of nonviolence; but no less important was his adherence to non-demonization. Even when he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-truett-anderson/gandhi-is-best-remembered-for-his-adherence-to-the-principle-of/) [Walter Truett Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-truett-anderson/) > [Simply having rules does not change the things that people want to do. You have to change incentives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-wales/simply-having-rules-does-not-change-the-things-that-people-want-to-do/) [Jimmy Wales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-wales/) > [I used to believe that prayer changes things, but now I believe that prayer changes us and we change things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-used-to-believe-that-prayer-changes-things-but-now-i-believe-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You cannot change the things, so you don't need to stress if you're going to change them. So why complain? It looks so simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrey-rublev/you-cannot-change-the-things-so-you-don-t-need-to-stress-if-you-re/) [Andrey Rublev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrey-rublev/) > [I'm always trying to change things - change my character, change my look, change my hair, change my facial hair, change my costumes, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-jericho/i-m-always-trying-to-change-things-change-my-character-change-my-look/) [Chris Jericho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-jericho/) > [When something doesn't go your way, never lose hope in Allah. That faith could be just enough for Him to change things around for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-something-doesn-t-go-your-way-never-lose-hope-in-allah-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you're a black superhero, you can't erase the notion that you're black. If you're black, living in the community, and you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheo-hodari-coker/when-you-re-a-black-superhero-you-can-t-erase-the-notion-that-you-re/) [Cheo Hodari Coker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheo-hodari-coker/) > [It's crazy how much time can change things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alaska/it-s-crazy-how-much-time-can-change-things/) [Alaska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alaska/) > [The point of the essay is to change things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-tufte/the-point-of-the-essay-is-to-change-things/) [Edward Tufte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-tufte/) > [“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. Try to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-may-not-control-all-the-events-that-happen-to-you-but-you-can/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) Browse all 661 Change things quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The advent of civilization--an overly optimistic word--didn't change things as much as one might think, because no matter how large a city or empire became there was always another \"them\" to go out and kill. 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