Savages Quote by Malcolm Muggeridge
“Animistic savages prostrating themselves before a painted stone have always seemed to me to be nearer the truth than any Einstein or Bertrand Russell.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: "The Perils of the New Age", 1965
The quote suggests that primitive rituals feel more authentic than abstract intellectualism, implying a tension between instinctual belief and rational thought.
In simple terms: Rituals seem more real than abstract ideas.
Key Takeaway
Value intuition alongside reason.
Themes
intuition
tradition
skepticism
philosophy
Mood
contemplative
critical
Type
philosophical
observational
When to use this quote
- personal reflection
- cultural analysis
- spiritual practice
- academic debate
Key Concepts
animism
empiricism
cognitive bias
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you trust feelings over facts?
- How can intuition and logic coexist?
A Different Perspective
Rituals can be misinterpreted as truth without evidence.
![“That country [Carthage] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws; and every step of intestine discord was marked by some deplorable victory of savage man over civilized society.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/70c/edward-gibbon-710_barbarism_that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinkin_393.jpg)
