--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Western Civilization has been in a state…" description: "\"Western Civilization has been in a state of decline since the Edwardian age, say 1910. That was the height of Greco-Roman European civilization. Then t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ad/lawrence-ferlinghetti-7689_age_western-civilization-has-been-in-a-state_1456643.jpg" --- # Western Civilization has been in a state of decline since… ![“Western Civilization has been in a state of decline since the Edwardian age, say 1910. That was the height of Greco-Roman European civilization. Then there was the First World War. That was the beginning of the end. That civilization has been in a decline ever since. But from the American…” quote by Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ad/lawrence-ferlinghetti-7689_age_western-civilization-has-been-in-a-state_1456643.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ad/lawrence-ferlinghetti-7689_age_western-civilization-has-been-in-a-state_1456643.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ad/lawrence-ferlinghetti-7689_age_western-civilization-has-been-in-a-state_1456643.jpg) > “Western Civilization has been in a state of decline since the Edwardian age, say 1910. That was the height of Greco-Roman European civilization. Then there was the First World War. That was the beginning of the end. That civilization has been in a decline ever since. But from the American triumphalist point of view our wonderful electronic revolution is really the forefront of an ongoing wonderful civilization.” [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Western culture has been perceived as declining since early 20th century, yet modern tech is seen as a new civilizational peak. **In simple terms:** Western decline vs. tech optimism. Key Takeaway Recognize both historical challenges and future possibilities. Themes history technology optimism decline Mood critical reflective Type analysis philosophical When to use this quote - education - policy making - media analysis Key Concepts civilizational cycles technological impact cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - What defines a civilization’s health? - Can technology reverse cultural decline? A Different Perspective Tech progress can’t solve deeper societal issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Beginning Of The End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginning-of-the-end/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Civilization Decline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization-decline-1324489/) [Civilization State](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization-state-1123819/) [European Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/european-civilization-1091067/) [First world war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-world-war/) [Point of view](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point-of-view/) [Revolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revolution/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War of the worlds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-of-the-worlds/) [Western](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western/) [Western civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western-civilization/) [Wonderful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war/) ## Related quotes > [“Overall, it seems that we have to accept that Western civilization will decline. It is, essentially, inevitable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-charlton/overall-it-seems-that-we-have-to-accept-that-western-civilization/) [Bruce Charlton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-charlton/) > [“It is not easy to get rid of weeds; but it is easy, by a process of neglect, to ruin your food crops and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/it-is-not-easy-to-get-rid-of-weeds-but-it-is-easy-by-a-process-of/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [This is the gravest danger that today threatens civilization: State intervention; the absorption of all spontaneous social effort by the State, that is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ortega-y-gasset/this-is-the-gravest-danger-that-today-threatens-civilization-state/) [Jose Ortega y Gasset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ortega-y-gasset/) > [The civilization of a state should be measured by the amount of suffering it prevents and the degree of happiness it makes possible for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/the-civilization-of-a-state-should-be-measured-by-the-amount-of/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [While I have no empirical evidence to back this up, I bet that the number of homosexual people per thousand has not fluctuated all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/while-i-have-no-empirical-evidence-to-back-this-up-i-bet-that-the/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [Fragmentation occurs when a civilization is in decline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-payne/fragmentation-occurs-when-a-civilization-is-in-decline/) [Robert Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-payne/) > [“To be honest, the future doesn’t look too bright. You were born at a pretty crappy time in history. And it looks like things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-cline/to-be-honest-the-future-doesn-t-look-too-bright-you-were-born-at-a/) [Ernest Cline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-cline/) > [The first sign on a declining civilization is a decline in the arts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-palmer/the-first-sign-on-a-declining-civilization-is-a-decline-in-the-arts/) [Diana Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-palmer/) > [Poland is not East or West. Poland is at the center of European civilization. It has contributed mightily to that civilization. It is doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/poland-is-not-east-or-west-poland-is-at-the-center-of-european/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Is a civilization naturally backward because it is different? 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Those that remain are all ottom line editors; everything depends on the money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/the-real-literary-editors-have-mostly-been-fired-those-that-remain/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [“Cast up the heart flops over gasping 'Love' a foolish fish which tries to draw its breath from flesh of air And no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/cast-up-the-heart-flops-over-gasping-love-a-foolish-fish-which-tries/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [The paintings may communicate even better because people are lazy and they can look at a painting with less effort than they can read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/the-paintings-may-communicate-even-better-because-people-are-lazy-and/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [Poetry can change the world, just like any art can change the world, by changing consciousness. Of course this was the great slogan of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/poetry-can-change-the-world-just-like-any-art-can-change-the-world-by/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [As I get older I perceive Life has its tail in its mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/as-i-get-older-i-perceive-life-has-its-tail-in-its-mouth/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [Almost every truly creative being alienated & expatriated in his own country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/almost-every-truly-creative-being-alienated-expatriated-in-his-own/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [The future of publishing lies with the small and medium-sized presses, because the big publishers in New York are all part of huge conglomerates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/the-future-of-publishing-lies-with-the-small-and-medium-sized-presses/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [The art has to make it on its own, without explanations, and it’s the same for poetry. 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