--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Capacity of human societies both to…" description: "\"Capacity of human societies both to absorb and to discard cultures is much underestimated.\" — Norman Davies" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/856/norman-davies-9199_capacity_capacity-of-human-societies-both-to-abso_506445.jpg" --- # Capacity of human societies both to absorb and to discard… ![“Capacity of human societies both to absorb and to discard cultures is much underestimated.” quote by Norman Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/856/norman-davies-9199_capacity_capacity-of-human-societies-both-to-abso_506445.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/856/norman-davies-9199_capacity_capacity-of-human-societies-both-to-abso_506445.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/856/norman-davies-9199_capacity_capacity-of-human-societies-both-to-abso_506445.jpg) > “Capacity of human societies both to absorb and to discard cultures is much underestimated.” [Norman Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-davies/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Societies often overlook how they both integrate and reject foreign cultures, affecting cultural evolution. **In simple terms:** Cultures absorb and discard influences. Key Takeaway Recognize and balance cultural exchange. Themes culture integration identity Mood analytical thoughtful Type historical cultural When to use this quote - immigration - colonial legacy - media influence - education curricula Key Concepts anthropology sociology globalization Questions to Reflect On - How do societies decide which cultures to keep? - What are the costs of cultural loss? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on assimilation can erase diversity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) ## Related quotes > [We have the capacity for about 1.6 human conversations, so if you're listening to one conversation particularly, you're only left with 0.6 for your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-treasure/we-have-the-capacity-for-about-1-6-human-conversations-so-if-you-re/) [Julian Treasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-treasure/) > [Often what we take for a kindness is just someone acting in their capacity as a human being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/often-what-we-take-for-a-kindness-is-just-someone-acting-in-their/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [The capacity of the human mind for swallowing nonsense and spewing it forth in violent and repressive action has never yet been plumbed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/the-capacity-of-the-human-mind-for-swallowing-nonsense-and-spewing-it/) [Robert A. 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But no such societies have ever existed on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-adler/think-how-different-human-societies-would-be-if-they-were-based-on/) [Mortimer Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-adler/) > [Human societies as temporally and spatially far-flung as the Mesopotamians, Mayans, and Easter Islanders likely came to ruin by expanding beyond the capacity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-rees/human-societies-as-temporally-and-spatially-far-flung-as-the/) [William E. Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-rees/) > [The numbers of distinct human societies or nations, when our race is twice its present age, may be far greater than the total number…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/the-numbers-of-distinct-human-societies-or-nations-when-our-race-is/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [Human societies vary in lots of independent factors affecting their openness to innovation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-diamond/human-societies-vary-in-lots-of-independent-factors-affecting-their/) [Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/) ## More by Norman Davies > [All states and nations, however great, bloom for a season and are replaced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-davies/all-states-and-nations-however-great-bloom-for-a-season-and-are/) [Norman Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-davies/) > [The Law and Justice government does not want a bunch of foreign historians to decide what goes on in 'their' museum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-davies/the-law-and-justice-government-does-not-want-a-bunch-of-foreign/) [Norman Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-davies/) > [For people familiar with Eastern Europe, Marci Shore's 'The Taste of Ashes' is, in spite of its subject matter, delicious. A professor at Yale…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-davies/for-people-familiar-with-eastern-europe-marci-shore-s-the-taste-of/) [Norman Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-davies/) > [The one certainly for anyone in the path of an avalanche is this: standing still is not an option.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-davies/the-one-certainly-for-anyone-in-the-path-of-an-avalanche-is-this/) [Norman Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-davies/) > [Young people have to learn in a cocoon filled with false optimism. Unlike their parents and grandparents, they grow up with very little sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-davies/young-people-have-to-learn-in-a-cocoon-filled-with-false-optimism/) [Norman Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-davies/) > [Any historian worth their salt should be aware of wars, conflicts, catastrophes. They happen. This is part of the panorama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-davies/any-historian-worth-their-salt-should-be-aware-of-wars-conflicts/) [Norman Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-davies/) > [It was in the 20th century that national sovereignty really ruled the roost, and the E.U. was formed to cure that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-davies/it-was-in-the-20th-century-that-national-sovereignty-really-ruled-the/) [Norman Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-davies/) > [“Although the rival cereals of rye, barley,oats, buckwheat and millet have continued to exist in Europe, the triumphal march of king wheat was uncontestable”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-davies/although-the-rival-cereals-of-rye-barley-oats-buckwheat-and-millet/) [Norman Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-davies/) > [The Russian myths of the Second World War are still intact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-davies/the-russian-myths-of-the-second-world-war-are-still-intact/) [Norman Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-davies/) > [ \[The Poles\] will die for their country; but few will work for it. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-davies/the-poles-will-die-for-their-country-but-few-will-work-for-it/) [Norman Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-davies/) > [One might have thought that 70 years was time enough to work out what really happened in 1939. 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I can remember the blackout, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-davies/i-can-just-remember-the-blitz-of-manchester-or-perhaps-my-father-s/) [Norman Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-davies/) > [One of the few things that can be said for certain about Europe's prehistoric peoples is that they all came from somewhere else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-davies/one-of-the-few-things-that-can-be-said-for-certain-about-europe-s/) [Norman Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-davies/) [Explore all 72 Norman Davies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-davies/) ## More Capacity quotes > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [And you can't complain about kissing Emma Watson. 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Contrary to popular belief, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/to-preserve-an-unclouded-capacity-for-the-enjoyment-of-life-is-an/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [Disappointment contains an appointment for doing much better. High expectations mean your higher capacity and belief in abilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasneem-hameed/disappointment-contains-an-appointment-for-doing-much-better-high/) [Tasneem Hameed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasneem-hameed/) > [For years mental health professionals taught people that they could be psychologically healthy without social support, that “unless you love yourself, no one else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-d-perry/for-years-mental-health-professionals-taught-people-that-they-could/) [Bruce D. 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