--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the end what will happen will be what…" description: "\"“In the end what will happen will be what has happened whenever a civilization breaks up. The people who have brains and courage come through and the o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/margaret-mitchell-692_ashley-wilkes_in-the-end-what-will-happen-will-be-what_2396603.jpg" --- # In the end what will happen will be what has happened… ![“In the end what will happen will be what has happened whenever a civilization breaks up. The people who have brains and courage come through and the ones who haven't are winnowed out. At least, it has been interesting, if not comfortable, to witness a Gotterdammerung.' 'A what?' 'A dusk of the…” quote by Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/margaret-mitchell-692_ashley-wilkes_in-the-end-what-will-happen-will-be-what_2396603.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/margaret-mitchell-692_ashley-wilkes_in-the-end-what-will-happen-will-be-what_2396603.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f53/margaret-mitchell-692_ashley-wilkes_in-the-end-what-will-happen-will-be-what_2396603.jpg) > ““In the end what will happen will be what has happened whenever a civilization breaks up. The people who have brains and courage come through and the ones who haven't are winnowed out. At least, it has been interesting, if not comfortable, to witness a Gotterdammerung.' 'A what?' 'A dusk of the gods. Unfortunately, we Southerners did think we were gods.”” [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When societies collapse, the intelligent and brave survive while the weak are eliminated; the observer finds it fascinating yet uncomfortable. **In simple terms:** Crisis separates the strong from the weak. Key Takeaway Adapt and act wisely in turbulent times. Themes societal change survival observation Mood thoughtful analytical Type historical philosophical When to use this quote - political upheaval - economic crises - personal adversity Key Concepts history civilizational cycles human nature Questions to Reflect On - What strengths help you endure collapse? - Do you prioritize comfort or growth? A Different Perspective Survival may require harsh choices that conflict with comfort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ashley wilkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashley-wilkes/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) ## Related quotes > [In the end what will happen will be what has happened whenever a civilization breaks up. The people who have brains and courage come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/in-the-end-what-will-happen-will-be-what-has-happened-whenever-a/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [After the last notes of Gotterdammerung I felt as though I had been let out of prison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pyotr-ilyich-tchaikovsky/after-the-last-notes-of-gotterdammerung-i-felt-as-though-i-had-been/) [Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pyotr-ilyich-tchaikovsky/) > [“You're a pickpocket right? That's cool. But you don't do it for the money, do you?" "Maybe the end." I said abruptly. "The end?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fuminori-nakamura/you-re-a-pickpocket-right-that-s-cool-but-you-don-t-do-it-for-the/) [Fuminori Nakamura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fuminori-nakamura/) > [“For I am fighting for the old days, the old ways which I love so much, but which, I fear, are now gone forever,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/for-i-am-fighting-for-the-old-days-the-old-ways-which-i-love-so-much/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“Rhett, do you really--is it to protect me that you--" "Yes, my dear, it is my much advertised chivalry that makes me protect you."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/rhett-do-you-really-is-it-to-protect-me-that-you-yes-my-dear-it-is-my/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“Melanie is the gentlest of dreams and a part of my dreaming. And if the war had not come I would have lived out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/melanie-is-the-gentlest-of-dreams-and-a-part-of-my-dreaming-and-if/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“Scarlett, I don't know just when it was that the bleak realization came over me that my own private shadow show was over. Perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/scarlett-i-don-t-know-just-when-it-was-that-the-bleak-realization/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [His voice stopped and they looked for a long quiet moment into each other's eyes and between them lay the sunny lost youth that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/his-voice-stopped-and-they-looked-for-a-long-quiet-moment-into-each/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [ “She \[Melanie\] is the only dream I ever had that lived and breathed and did not die in the face of reality.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/she-melanie-is-the-only-dream-i-ever-had-that-lived-and-breathed-and/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [She saw in his eyes defeat of her wild dreams, her mad desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/she-saw-in-his-eyes-defeat-of-her-wild-dreams-her-mad-desires/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [I can't make you understand because you don't know the meaning of fear. You have the heart of a lion and an utter lack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/i-can-t-make-you-understand-because-you-don-t-know-the-meaning-of/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [Ser eyes met his, hers naked with pleading, his remote as mountain lakes under gray skies. She saw in them defeat of her wild…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/ser-eyes-met-his-hers-naked-with-pleading-his-remote-as-mountain/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“But, Ashley, what are you afraid of?' 'Oh, nameless things. Things which sound very silly when they are put into words. Mostly of having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/but-ashley-what-are-you-afraid-of-oh-nameless-things-things-which/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“Ask the Aztecs and Incas whether or not they would have liked to have vaccines available to the. Oh, wait--you can't. They're dead. Vaccination…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-wright/ask-the-aztecs-and-incas-whether-or-not-they-would-have-liked-to-have/) [Jennifer Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-wright/) > [“Ask the Aztecs and the Incas whether or not they would have liked to have access to vaccines. Oh, wait, you can't. They're dead.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-wright/ask-the-aztecs-and-the-incas-whether-or-not-they-would-have-liked-to/) [Jennifer Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-wright/) ## More by Margaret Mitchell > [I won't think of it now. I can't stand it now. I'll think of it later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/i-won-t-think-of-it-now-i-can-t-stand-it-now-i-ll-think-of-it-later/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“I don't want any money for it," he said. "It's a gift." Scarlett's mouth dropped open. The line was so closely, so carefully drawn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/i-don-t-want-any-money-for-it-he-said-it-s-a-gift-scarlett-s-mouth/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [Until you lose your reputation, you never realize what a burden it was or what freedom really is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/until-you-lose-your-reputation-you-never-realize-what-a-burden-it-was/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [And apologies, once postponed, become harder and harder to make, and finally impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/and-apologies-once-postponed-become-harder-and-harder-to-make-and/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“There was a glow of grim pride in her usually gentle face, approbation and a fierce joy in her smile that equaled the fiery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/there-was-a-glow-of-grim-pride-in-her-usually-gentle-face-approbation/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [Her lips on his could tell him better than all her stumbling words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/her-lips-on-his-could-tell-him-better-than-all-her-stumbling-words/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [The way to get a man interested and to hold his interest was to talk about himself, and then gradually lead the conversation around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/the-way-to-get-a-man-interested-and-to-hold-his-interest-was-to-talk/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [She was as forthright and simple as the winds that blew over Tara and the yellow river that wound around it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/she-was-as-forthright-and-simple-as-the-winds-that-blew-over-tara-and/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“The very mystery of him excited her curiosity like a door that had neither lock nor key.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/the-very-mystery-of-him-excited-her-curiosity-like-a-door-that-had/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“He had never once crossed the borders of friendliness with her and, when she thought of this, fresh anger rose, the anger of hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/he-had-never-once-crossed-the-borders-of-friendliness-with-her-and/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“The husband is always the last to find out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/the-husband-is-always-the-last-to-find-out/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [People must do what they must do. We all don't think alike or act alike and it's wrong to-to judge others by ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/people-must-do-what-they-must-do-we-all-don-t-think-alike-or-act/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [All you have done is to be different from other women and you have made a little success of it. This is unforgivable sin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/all-you-have-done-is-to-be-different-from-other-women-and-you-have/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“She felt puzzled and ashamed, as always when people attributed to her emotions and motives they possessed and thought she shared.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/she-felt-puzzled-and-ashamed-as-always-when-people-attributed-to-her/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“I do not want to marry you or anyone else. I am not a marrying man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/i-do-not-want-to-marry-you-or-anyone-else-i-am-not-a-marrying-man/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) [Explore all 391 Margaret Mitchell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) ## More Ashley wilkes quotes > [He gives me a kiss that barely touches my lips – it means nothing or everything. After he’s gone, I think, Happy birthday to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-bank/he-gives-me-a-kiss-that-barely-touches-my-lips-it-means-nothing-or/) [Melissa Bank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-bank/) > [“But, Ashley, what are you afraid of?' 'Oh, nameless things. Things which sound very silly when they are put into words. Mostly of having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/but-ashley-what-are-you-afraid-of-oh-nameless-things-things-which/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clark-gable/frankly-my-dear-i-don-t-give-a-damn/) [Clark Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-gable/) > [Ser eyes met his, hers naked with pleading, his remote as mountain lakes under gray skies. She saw in them defeat of her wild…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/ser-eyes-met-his-hers-naked-with-pleading-his-remote-as-mountain/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [Rhett: Don't start flirting with me. I'm not one of your plantation beaux. I want more than flirting from you. Scarlett: What do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clark-gable/rhett-don-t-start-flirting-with-me-i-m-not-one-of-your-plantation/) [Clark Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-gable/) > [I can't make you understand because you don't know the meaning of fear. You have the heart of a lion and an utter lack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/i-can-t-make-you-understand-because-you-don-t-know-the-meaning-of/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [She saw in his eyes defeat of her wild dreams, her mad desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/she-saw-in-his-eyes-defeat-of-her-wild-dreams-her-mad-desires/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [ “She \[Melanie\] is the only dream I ever had that lived and breathed and did not die in the face of reality.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/she-melanie-is-the-only-dream-i-ever-had-that-lived-and-breathed-and/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [His voice stopped and they looked for a long quiet moment into each other's eyes and between them lay the sunny lost youth that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/his-voice-stopped-and-they-looked-for-a-long-quiet-moment-into-each/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“Scarlett, I don't know just when it was that the bleak realization came over me that my own private shadow show was over. Perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/scarlett-i-don-t-know-just-when-it-was-that-the-bleak-realization/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“Melanie is the gentlest of dreams and a part of my dreaming. And if the war had not come I would have lived out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/melanie-is-the-gentlest-of-dreams-and-a-part-of-my-dreaming-and-if/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“Rhett, do you really--is it to protect me that you--" "Yes, my dear, it is my much advertised chivalry that makes me protect you."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/rhett-do-you-really-is-it-to-protect-me-that-you-yes-my-dear-it-is-my/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“But if you knew that, why on earth did you marry her?" Rosemary asked. "Why?" Rhett's mouth twisted in a smile. "Because she was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-ripley/but-if-you-knew-that-why-on-earth-did-you-marry-her-rosemary-asked/) [Alexandra Ripley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-ripley/) > [“For I am fighting for the old days, the old ways which I love so much, but which, I fear, are now gone forever,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/for-i-am-fighting-for-the-old-days-the-old-ways-which-i-love-so-much/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) [Browse all 15 Ashley wilkes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashley-wilkes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In the end what will happen will be what has happened whenever a civilization breaks up. The people who have brains and courage come through and the ones who haven't are winnowed out. At least, it has been interesting, if not comfortable, to witness a Gotterdammerung.' 'A what?' 'A dusk of the gods. 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