--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What will finally destroy us is not…" description: "\"What will finally destroy us is not communism or fascism, but man acting like God.\" — Malcolm Muggeridge" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc7/malcolm-muggeridge-2370_acting_what-will-finally-destroy-us-is-not-comm_2052809.png" --- # What will finally destroy us is not communism or fascism… ![“What will finally destroy us is not communism or fascism, but man acting like God.” quote by Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc7/malcolm-muggeridge-2370_acting_what-will-finally-destroy-us-is-not-comm_2052809.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc7/malcolm-muggeridge-2370_acting_what-will-finally-destroy-us-is-not-comm_2052809.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc7/malcolm-muggeridge-2370_acting_what-will-finally-destroy-us-is-not-comm_2052809.png) > “What will finally destroy us is not communism or fascism, but man acting like God.” [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human hubris in playing god leads to catastrophe, not political ideologies. **In simple terms:** Man's overreach is dangerous. Key Takeaway Beware overstepping natural limits. Themes hubris technology ethics Mood cautionary reflective Type philosophical warning When to use this quote - political policy - scientific research - environmental activism Key Concepts anthropocentrism responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What boundaries should humanity respect? - How can humility guide progress? A Different Perspective Human nature may still repeat mistakes despite warnings. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christian inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-inspirational/) [Communism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communism/) [Destroy Communism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroy-communism-1455575/) [Fascism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fascism/) [Fascism Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fascism-man-1982386/) [Finally Destroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finally-destroy-2696886/) [Like God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-god/) [Man Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-acting-1813902/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [So what do they do? They start writing articles in the New York Daily News. Boy, that's a paper that loves to write crap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-null/so-what-do-they-do-they-start-writing-articles-in-the-new-york-daily/) [Gary Null](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-null/) > [“But these meetings, these partings, finally destroy us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/but-these-meetings-these-partings-finally-destroy-us/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Communism destroys democracy. Democracy can also destroy Communism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-malraux/communism-destroys-democracy-democracy-can-also-destroy-communism/) [Andre Malraux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-malraux/) > [Honestly, I don't look at it as work because I have way too much fun on set to actually classify it as work. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-unger/honestly-i-don-t-look-at-it-as-work-because-i-have-way-too-much-fun/) [Billy Unger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-unger/) > [Only imagine a man acting for one single day on the supposition that all his neighbors believe all that they profess, and act up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/only-imagine-a-man-acting-for-one-single-day-on-the-supposition-that/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [A rational man acting in the real world may be defined as one who decides where he will strike a balance between what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/a-rational-man-acting-in-the-real-world-may-be-defined-as-one-who/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [A word does not frighten the man who, in acting feels no fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/a-word-does-not-frighten-the-man-who-in-acting-feels-no-fear/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [So long as God reveals Himself, or doesn't, He is behaving like God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mignon-mclaughlin/so-long-as-god-reveals-himself-or-doesn-t-he-is-behaving-like-god/) [Mignon McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mignon-mclaughlin/) > [The nearest I'd come to feeling anything like God was the plan blue cloudless sky and a certain silence, but how do you pray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/the-nearest-i-d-come-to-feeling-anything-like-god-was-the-plan-blue/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [“It’s…” She couldn’t finish. “Don’t try, Miss Redmond,” he agreed, shading his eyes. “There are honestly no suitable words, so we shall not fault…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-anne-long/it-s-she-couldn-t-finish-don-t-try-miss-redmond-he-agreed-shading-his/) [Julie Anne Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-anne-long/) > [I don't know how many times I've experienced something where I felt like God showed up and saved me or loved me for no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lacey-sturm/i-don-t-know-how-many-times-i-ve-experienced-something-where-i-felt/) [Lacey Sturm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lacey-sturm/) > [I feel like it's God's plan for me to play football and make a difference in people's lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-bush/i-feel-like-it-s-god-s-plan-for-me-to-play-football-and-make-a/) [Reggie Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-bush/) > [In our culture we have such respect for musical instruments, they are like part of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-shankar/in-our-culture-we-have-such-respect-for-musical-instruments-they-are/) [Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-shankar/) > [You may have some friends that come and go, but having a friend like God will last forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-tillmon/you-may-have-some-friends-that-come-and-go-but-having-a-friend-like/) [Alyssa Tillmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa-tillmon/) > [“I tend to be one of those people who takes great pride in calling it like I see it. I say things like, “I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-furtick/i-tend-to-be-one-of-those-people-who-takes-great-pride-in-calling-it/) [Steven Furtick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-furtick/) ## More by Malcolm Muggeridge > [It is only possible to succeed at second-rate pursuitslikebecoming a millionaire or a prime minister, winning a war, seducing beautiful women, flying thought the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-muggeridge/it-is-only-possible-to-succeed-at-second-rate-pursuitslikebecoming-a/) [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) > [He was not only a bore; he bored for England.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-muggeridge/he-was-not-only-a-bore-he-bored-for-england/) [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) > [The orgasm has replaced the Cross as the focus of longing and the image of fulfillment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-muggeridge/the-orgasm-has-replaced-the-cross-as-the-focus-of-longing-and-the/) [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) > [Posterity will surely be amazed, and I hope vastly amused, that such slipshod and unconvincing theorizing should have so easily captivated twentieth-century minds and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-muggeridge/posterity-will-surely-be-amazed-and-i-hope-vastly-amused-that-such/) [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) > [In politics, as in womanizing, failure is decisive. It sheds its retrospective gloom on earlier endeavor which at the time seemed full of promise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-muggeridge/in-politics-as-in-womanizing-failure-is-decisive-it-sheds-its/) [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) > [Marx and Freud are the two great destroyers of Christian civilization, the first replacing the gospel of love by the gospel of hate, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-muggeridge/marx-and-freud-are-the-two-great-destroyers-of-christian-civilization/) [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) > [I wouldn't have said that Anthony Eden was equipped by nature to deal with the situation in the world today. I would have said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-muggeridge/i-wouldn-t-have-said-that-anthony-eden-was-equipped-by-nature-to-deal/) [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) > [God, stay with me, let no word cross my lips that is not your word, no thoughts enter my mind that are not your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-muggeridge/god-stay-with-me-let-no-word-cross-my-lips-that-is-not-your-word-no/) [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) > [The monarchical institution in England is immensely valuable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-muggeridge/the-monarchical-institution-in-england-is-immensely-valuable/) [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) > [Education, the great mumbo jumbo and fraud of the age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-muggeridge/education-the-great-mumbo-jumbo-and-fraud-of-the-age/) [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) > [This life in us; however low it flickers or fiercely burns, is still a divine flame which no man dare presume to put out,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-muggeridge/this-life-in-us-however-low-it-flickers-or-fiercely-burns-is-still-a/) [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) > [As Man alone, Jesus could not have saved us; As God alone, He would not; Made flesh, He could and did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-muggeridge/as-man-alone-jesus-could-not-have-saved-us-as-god-alone-he-would-not/) [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) > [ I think it \[presidency of Dwight Eisenhower\] came too late and I think that he is not on the wavelength of this dreadful time… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-muggeridge/i-think-it-presidency-of-dwight-eisenhower-came-too-late-and-i-think/) [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) > [Future historians will surely see us as having created in the media a Frankenstein monster whom no one knows how to control ordirect, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-muggeridge/future-historians-will-surely-see-us-as-having-created-in-the-media-a/) [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) > [ I think that President \[Dwight\] Eisenhower was... did the most marvelous job in the war, not really a military job: a public relations job,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-muggeridge/i-think-that-president-dwight-eisenhower-was-did-the-most-marvelous/) [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) [Explore all 168 Malcolm Muggeridge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. 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Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. 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