Ancient greek Quote by Mary Beard
““One of its (civilisations) most powerful weapons has always been 'barbarity': 'we' know that 'we' are civilised by contrasting ourselves with those we deem to be uncivilised, with those who do not -or cannot be trusted to - share our values. Civilisation is a process of exclusion as well as inclusion. The boundary between 'us' and 'them' may be an internal one (for much of world history the idea of a 'civilised woman' has been a contradiction in terms), or an external one, as the word 'barbarian' suggests; it was originally a derogatory and ethnocentric ancient Greek term for foreigners you could not understand, because they spoke in an incomprehensible babble: 'bar-bar-bar ...' The inconvenient truth, of course, is that so-called 'barbarians' may be no more than those with a different view from ourselves of what it is to be civilised, and of what matters in human culture. In the end, one person's barbarity is another person's civilisation.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Civilising Process, 2015
Civilisation is defined by excluding those seen as different, turning perceived barbarity into a marker of cultural identity.
In simple terms: Civilisation creates “us vs them” boundaries.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and challenge exclusionary narratives.
Themes
civilisation
exclusion
identity
otherness
power
culture
Mood
analytical
thought‑provoking
critical
Type
philosophical
political
sociological
When to use this quote
- political discourse
- education curricula
- media analysis
- community building
Key Concepts
social constructionism
ethnocentrism
colonialism
identity politics
Questions to Reflect On
- In what ways do we still define ourselves by excluding others?
- How can inclusive narratives reshape civilising processes?
A Different Perspective
The concept can oversimplify complex cultural interactions; not all exclusions are intentional.
