--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In Western Europe, Turkey is regarded as…" description: "\"In Western Europe, Turkey is regarded as uncivilized, so they can't come in into the European Union until they're civilized. I think it's the other way..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25e/noam-chomsky-42_achieve_in-western-europe-turkey-is-regarded-as_2614618.jpg" --- # In Western Europe, Turkey is regarded as uncivilized, so… ![“In Western Europe, Turkey is regarded as uncivilized, so they can't come in into the European Union until they're civilized. I think it's the other way around. If you could achieve the level of civilization of, say, Turkish intelectuals, it would be quite an achievement.” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25e/noam-chomsky-42_achieve_in-western-europe-turkey-is-regarded-as_2614618.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25e/noam-chomsky-42_achieve_in-western-europe-turkey-is-regarded-as_2614618.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25e/noam-chomsky-42_achieve_in-western-europe-turkey-is-regarded-as_2614618.jpg) > “In Western Europe, Turkey is regarded as uncivilized, so they can't come in into the European Union until they're civilized. I think it's the other way around. If you could achieve the level of civilization of, say, Turkish intelectuals, it would be quite an achievement.” [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Challenges the notion that Turkey must “civilize” to join the EU, suggesting the EU should improve itself. **In simple terms:** Civilization is a two‑way street. Key Takeaway Reevaluate standards. Themes politics culture EU integration Mood critical inquisitive Type political philosophical When to use this quote - policy debate - international relations - public discourse Key Concepts civilizational standards geopolitics Questions to Reflect On - What defines “civilized”? - How can the EU reform itself? A Different Perspective Changing standards may be politically fraught. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achieve/) [Achievement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievement/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Civilized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilized/) [Civilized Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilized-think-2057412/) [Come European](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come-european-2057411/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Europe Turkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe-turkey-869396/) [European union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/european-union/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Levels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/levels/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Turkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turkey/) [Turkey Regarded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turkey-regarded-2057410/) [Turkeys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turkeys/) [Turkish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turkish/) [Turkish Intelectuals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turkish-intelectuals-2057413/) [Uncivilized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncivilized/) [Unions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unions/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Western](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western/) [Western europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western-europe/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [We have the character of an island nation: independent, forthright, passionate in defence of our sovereignty. We can no more change this British sensibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cameron/we-have-the-character-of-an-island-nation-independent-forthright/) [David Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cameron/) > [Ultimately, the roast turkey must be regarded as a monument to Boomer's love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/ultimately-the-roast-turkey-must-be-regarded-as-a-monument-to-boomer-2/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [There's opposition in Europe to Turkish membership because these are the inevitable fears of energetic, poorer, Muslim outsiders who will come in and work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-mango/there-s-opposition-in-europe-to-turkish-membership-because-these-are/) [Andrew Mango](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-mango/) > [Those looking from Europe see Turkey as an economic success, whereas others from the Middle East see Turkey as a democratic success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-babacan/those-looking-from-europe-see-turkey-as-an-economic-success-whereas/) [Ali Babacan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-babacan/) > [Moral certainty is always a sign of cultural inferiority. The more uncivilized the man, the surer he is that he knows precisely what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/moral-certainty-is-always-a-sign-of-cultural-inferiority-the-more/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“The flaw in being civilized is that it permit’s the uncivilized among us to perpetrate horrific crimes against us in the name of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-j-croan/the-flaw-in-being-civilized-is-that-it-permit-s-the-uncivilized-among/) [M.J. Croan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-j-croan/) > [POTABLE, n. Suitable for drinking. Water is said to be potable; indeed, some declare it our natural beverage, although even they find it palatable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/potable-n-suitable-for-drinking-water-is-said-to-be-potable-indeed/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Cruelty is contagious in uncivilized communities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-ann-jacobs/cruelty-is-contagious-in-uncivilized-communities/) [Harriet Ann Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-ann-jacobs/) > [“Bad behavior don't make us cool, it only exposes the fool we are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/bad-behavior-don-t-make-us-cool-it-only-exposes-the-fool-we-are/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Policemen and laws can never replace customs, traditions and moral values as a means for regulating human behavior. At best, the police and criminal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-todd-christofferson/policemen-and-laws-can-never-replace-customs-traditions-and-moral/) [D. Todd Christofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-todd-christofferson/) > [In Spain in the meantime, Aristotelian scholar Juan Gines de Sepulveda was putting the impolitic moralizing of Las Casas into proper perspective for posterity:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-gines-de-sepulveda/in-spain-in-the-meantime-aristotelian-scholar-juan-gines-de-sepulveda/) [Juan Gines de Sepulveda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-gines-de-sepulveda/) > [It is unheard-of, uncivilized barbarism that any woman should still be forced to bear such monstrous torture. It should be remedied. It should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/it-is-unheard-of-uncivilized-barbarism-that-any-woman-should-still-be/) [Isadora Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isadora-duncan/) > [Kaffirs are as a rule uncivilized - the convicts even more so. They are troublesome, very dirty and live almost like animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/kaffirs-are-as-a-rule-uncivilized-the-convicts-even-more-so-they-are/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“We are far too uncivilized to possess the weapons we do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-riddle/we-are-far-too-uncivilized-to-possess-the-weapons-we-do/) [A.G. Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-riddle/) > [Once the state has been founded, there can no longer be any heroes. They come on the scene only in uncivilized conditions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/once-the-state-has-been-founded-there-can-no-longer-be-any-heroes/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) ## More by Noam Chomsky > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [If you believe in democracy, why shouldn't you know what the government is doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-you-believe-in-democracy-why-shouldn-t-you-know-what-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [It’s a shameful moment for U.S. media when it insists on being subservient to the grotesque propaganda agencies of a violent, aggressive state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-shameful-moment-for-u-s-media-when-it-insists-on-being/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are questions as to whether it should even exist. Who should corporations be responsive to, the management of a corporation? Theoretically they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-questions-as-to-whether-it-should-even-exist-who-should/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Governments regard their own citizens as their main enemy, and they have to be - protect themselves. That's why you have state secret laws.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/governments-regard-their-own-citizens-as-their-main-enemy-and-they/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I don't join the New Atheists. So, for example, I wouldn't have the arrogance to lecture some mother who hopes to see her dying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-don-t-join-the-new-atheists-so-for-example-i-wouldn-t-have-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The first thing you ought to do is verify what I present. Just because I say it doesn't make it true. So check it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-first-thing-you-ought-to-do-is-verify-what-i-present-just-because/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [ I wrote an article about the marine landing \[in Haiti\] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-landing-in-haiti-right-away-but/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [American society is now remarkably atomized. Political organizations have collapsed. In fact, it seems like even bowling leagues are collapsing. The left has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/american-society-is-now-remarkably-atomized-political-organizations/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Discovery is the ability to be puzzled by simple things. Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/discovery-is-the-ability-to-be-puzzled-by-simple-things-noam-chomsky/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's an interesting book about that called The Third Reich and the Ivory Tower, written by Stephen H. Norwood. It has a long discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-an-interesting-book-about-that-called-the-third-reich-and-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [This is class war on an international scale, and power is in the hands of those who control the international economic system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/this-is-class-war-on-an-international-scale-and-power-is-in-the-hands/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There are big, extremely irrational parts of the society, and they have now been mobilized politically by the Republican establishment, hoping that these people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-are-big-extremely-irrational-parts-of-the-society-and-they-have/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [There's plenty to criticize about the mass media, but they are the source of regular information about a wide range of topics. You can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-plenty-to-criticize-about-the-mass-media-but-they-are-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [The 50,000 Korean mercenaries we had in Vietnam were professional killers and just massacred people outright. And the American army did plenty of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-50-000-korean-mercenaries-we-had-in-vietnam-were-professional/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) [Explore all 2,129 Noam Chomsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) ## More Achieve quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [Human beings have an innate inner drive to be autonomous, self-determined, and connected to one another. And when that drive is liberated, people achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/human-beings-have-an-innate-inner-drive-to-be-autonomous-self/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) > [Focus on becoming more to achieve more while doing less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/focus-on-becoming-more-to-achieve-more-while-doing-less/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [I'm a film guy. I love it. When I read the screenplay, I knew that there would be no HD camera that could achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deon-taylor/i-m-a-film-guy-i-love-it-when-i-read-the-screenplay-i-knew-that-there/) [Deon Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deon-taylor/) > [One achieves true human dignity only when one serves. Only he is great who subjects himself to taking part in the achievement of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/one-achieves-true-human-dignity-only-when-one-serves-only-he-is-great/) [Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-antonio-primo-de-rivera/) > [I'm optimistic Hong Kong will achieve universal suffrage - no matter the attitude of Beijing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wong/i-m-optimistic-hong-kong-will-achieve-universal-suffrage-no-matter/) [Joshua Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wong/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Governments follow their people. A great deal has to do with the vision of the leadership of governments. They have a vision, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-khurshid/governments-follow-their-people-a-great-deal-has-to-do-with-the/) [Salman Khurshid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-khurshid/) > [To achieve victory we must mass our forces at the hub of all power & movement. The enemy's 'Center of Gravity'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-achieve-victory-we-must-mass-our-forces-at-the-hub-of-all-power/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/if-your-only-goal-is-to-become-rich-you-will-never-achieve-it/) [John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/) > [To achieve something you've never achieved before, you must become someone you've never been before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shubham-joshi/to-achieve-something-you-ve-never-achieved-before-you-must-become/) [Shubham Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shubham-joshi/) > [I've identified as bisexual since I was a teenager, and if we want to achieve equality for all in our policies, we need more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hill/i-ve-identified-as-bisexual-since-i-was-a-teenager-and-if-we-want-to/) [Katie Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-hill/) [Browse all 6,390 Achieve quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achieve/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In Western Europe, Turkey is regarded as uncivilized, so they can't come in into the European Union until they're civilized. I think it's the other way around. If you could achieve the level of civilization of, say, Turkish intelectuals, it would be quite an achievement.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noam Chomsky" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-western-europe-turkey-is-regarded-as-uncivilized-so-they-can-t/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Achieve" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-western-europe-turkey-is-regarded-as-uncivilized-so-they-can-t/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25e/noam-chomsky-42_achieve_in-western-europe-turkey-is-regarded-as_2614618.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25e/noam-chomsky-42_achieve_in-western-europe-turkey-is-regarded-as_2614618.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25e/noam-chomsky-42_achieve_in-western-europe-turkey-is-regarded-as_2614618.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In Western Europe, Turkey is regarded as uncivilized, so they can't come in into the European Union until…” — Noam Chomsky", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Noam Chomsky", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In Western Europe, Turkey is regarded...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-western-europe-turkey-is-regarded-as-uncivilized-so-they-can-t/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/in-western-europe-turkey-is-regarded-as-uncivilized-so-they-can-t/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```