--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hunger eats civilization. The West is not…" description: "\"Hunger eats civilization. The West is not hungry; that's why they can say they're so civilized. Civilization is the biggest bluff!\" — Marjane Satrapi" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6d/marjane-satrapi-1702_bluffs_hunger-eats-civilization-the-west-is-not_3162190.jpg" --- # Hunger eats civilization. The West is not hungry; that's… ![“Hunger eats civilization. The West is not hungry; that's why they can say they're so civilized. Civilization is the biggest bluff!” quote by Marjane Satrapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6d/marjane-satrapi-1702_bluffs_hunger-eats-civilization-the-west-is-not_3162190.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6d/marjane-satrapi-1702_bluffs_hunger-eats-civilization-the-west-is-not_3162190.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6d/marjane-satrapi-1702_bluffs_hunger-eats-civilization-the-west-is-not_3162190.jpg) > “Hunger eats civilization. The West is not hungry; that's why they can say they're so civilized. Civilization is the biggest bluff!” [Marjane Satrapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjane-satrapi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Civilization is portrayed as a façade that masks underlying hunger and need, suggesting that the West's self‑image of civility is a cover for deeper cravings. **In simple terms:** Civilization hides true needs. Key Takeaway Recognize and address hidden societal needs. Themes civilization illusion Western critique Mood critical reflective Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - political analysis - media studies - urban planning - public policy - philosophical Key Concepts cultural critique materialism social façade Questions to Reflect On - What hidden needs drive societies? - How does self‑image affect policy? A Different Perspective The claim may overlook genuine achievements of Western societies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bluffs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bluffs/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Civilization West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization-west-2542513/) [Civilized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilized/) [Civilized Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilized-civilization-3698896/) [Eats Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eats-civilization-5720341/) [Hunger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hunger/) [Hungry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hungry/) [Say Civilized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-civilized-5720342/) [West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/west/) ## Related quotes > [“In our society, we are great believers in education. We believe that knowledge makes a cultured person civilized. Civilization, however, polishes the person superficially.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-our-society-we-are-great-believers-in-education-we-believe-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The years ahead will be great ones for our country, for the cause of freedom and the spread of civilization. The West will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-years-ahead-will-be-great-ones-for-our-country-for-the-cause-of/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The civilization of the West, which was brilliant by virtue of its scientific perfection for a long time, and which subjugated the whole world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hassan-al-banna/the-civilization-of-the-west-which-was-brilliant-by-virtue-of-its/) [Hassan al-Banna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hassan-al-banna/) > [“The Chinese had first learned of the Roman Empire in 139 B.C., when the emperor Wudi had sent an envoy, Zhang Qian, past the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/the-chinese-had-first-learned-of-the-roman-empire-in-139-b-c-when-the/) [Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/) > [By threatening war against Iran, Iraq and North Korea in his now-famous "Axis of Evil" address, the president painted himself into a corner. Either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/by-threatening-war-against-iran-iraq-and-north-korea-in-his-now/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [You can't bluff someone that's not paying attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantegna/you-can-t-bluff-someone-that-s-not-paying-attention/) [Joe Mantegna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantegna/) > [Masters of the bluff and masters of the proposition, but the enemy I see wears a cloak of decency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/masters-of-the-bluff-and-masters-of-the-proposition-but-the-enemy-i/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Lily and James only made you Secret-Keeper because I suggested it,” Black hissed, so venomously that Pettigrew took a step backward. “I thought it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lily-and-james-only-made-you-secret-keeper-because-i-suggested-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Thus I began my systematic though half-bewildered tour of Innsmouth's narrow, shadow-blighted ways. Crossing the bridge and turning toward the roar of the lower…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-lovecraft/thus-i-began-my-systematic-though-half-bewildered-tour-of-innsmouth-s/) [H. P. 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And I said to him I do these narrations… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-got-used-to-lars-von-trier-doing-the-narration-for-dogville-and/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [It was often this way, life consisted of a series of false beginnings, bluff declarations of arrival to destinations not even glimpsed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/it-was-often-this-way-life-consisted-of-a-series-of-false-beginnings/) [Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/) > [The Patriot Act is certainly a concern; all of those things are dangerous. I think more important than me preaching is that we as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-patriot-act-is-certainly-a-concern-all-of-those-things-are/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) ## More by Marjane Satrapi > [I became the voice of a generation in a very surprising way, because many Iranians recognize themselves in it. 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But as an artist, I have one duty: to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjane-satrapi/i-m-not-a-politician-i-don-t-know-how-to-solve-the-problems-of-the/) [Marjane Satrapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjane-satrapi/) > [A cat can never be well-trained because they're too independent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjane-satrapi/a-cat-can-never-be-well-trained-because-they-re-too-independent/) [Marjane Satrapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjane-satrapi/) > [It's fear that makes us lose our conscience. It's also what transforms us into cowards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjane-satrapi/it-s-fear-that-makes-us-lose-our-conscience-it-s-also-what-transforms/) [Marjane Satrapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjane-satrapi/) > [I am absolutely not a feminist, I am against stupidity, and if it comes from males or females, it doesn't change anything. If it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjane-satrapi/i-am-absolutely-not-a-feminist-i-am-against-stupidity-and-if-it-comes/) [Marjane Satrapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjane-satrapi/) > [I was a child who had a life, who had hopes, and I wished that a bomb would not fall on my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjane-satrapi/i-was-a-child-who-had-a-life-who-had-hopes-and-i-wished-that-a-bomb/) [Marjane Satrapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjane-satrapi/) > [There are things that I love in Iranian cinema and things that I don't. In Iranian cinema, you have to use metaphor because you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjane-satrapi/there-are-things-that-i-love-in-iranian-cinema-and-things-that-i-don/) [Marjane Satrapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjane-satrapi/) > [I had learned that you should always shout louder than your aggressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjane-satrapi/i-had-learned-that-you-should-always-shout-louder-than-your-aggressor/) [Marjane Satrapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjane-satrapi/) > [In the West, people don't have any real problems. It's all based on bad conscience, a very Christian notion. I don't have any bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjane-satrapi/in-the-west-people-don-t-have-any-real-problems-it-s-all-based-on-bad/) [Marjane Satrapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjane-satrapi/) > [When we're afraid, we lose all sense of analysis and reflection. Our fear paralyzes us. 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I think more important than me preaching is that we as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-patriot-act-is-certainly-a-concern-all-of-those-things-are/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [It was often this way, life consisted of a series of false beginnings, bluff declarations of arrival to destinations not even glimpsed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/it-was-often-this-way-life-consisted-of-a-series-of-false-beginnings/) [Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/) > [ I got used to \[ Lars Von Trier\] doing the narration for 'Dogville' and 'Manderley.' And I said to him I do these narrations… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-got-used-to-lars-von-trier-doing-the-narration-for-dogville-and/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [Never run a bluff with a six-gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bat-masterson/never-run-a-bluff-with-a-six-gun/) [Bat Masterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bat-masterson/) > [The scary thing is that sometimes you are wrapping up animation on a sequence and you don't know how the movie ends or begins.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-scanlon/the-scary-thing-is-that-sometimes-you-are-wrapping-up-animation-on-a/) [Dan Scanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-scanlon/) > [Such is life, my fellow-mummers-just like a poor player that bluffs and feints his hour upon the stage, and then cheapens down to mere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-furphy/such-is-life-my-fellow-mummers-just-like-a-poor-player-that-bluffs/) [Joseph Furphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-furphy/) > [Thus I began my systematic though half-bewildered tour of Innsmouth's narrow, shadow-blighted ways. Crossing the bridge and turning toward the roar of the lower…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-lovecraft/thus-i-began-my-systematic-though-half-bewildered-tour-of-innsmouth-s/) [H. P. Lovecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-lovecraft/) > [Lily and James only made you Secret-Keeper because I suggested it,” Black hissed, so venomously that Pettigrew took a step backward. “I thought it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lily-and-james-only-made-you-secret-keeper-because-i-suggested-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Masters of the bluff and masters of the proposition, but the enemy I see wears a cloak of decency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/masters-of-the-bluff-and-masters-of-the-proposition-but-the-enemy-i/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [You can't bluff someone that's not paying attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantegna/you-can-t-bluff-someone-that-s-not-paying-attention/) [Joe Mantegna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantegna/) > [By threatening war against Iran, Iraq and North Korea in his now-famous "Axis of Evil" address, the president painted himself into a corner. 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