--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In civilized societies, we spend our…" description: "\"In civilized societies, we spend our lifetimes trying to become what is socially acceptable. We're dark and we're light. We all have both sides to us.\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/robert-de-niro-3745_acceptable_in-civilized-societies-we-spend-our-life_894598.jpg" --- # In civilized societies, we spend our lifetimes trying to… ![“In civilized societies, we spend our lifetimes trying to become what is socially acceptable. We're dark and we're light. We all have both sides to us.” quote by Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/robert-de-niro-3745_acceptable_in-civilized-societies-we-spend-our-life_894598.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/robert-de-niro-3745_acceptable_in-civilized-societies-we-spend-our-life_894598.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/robert-de-niro-3745_acceptable_in-civilized-societies-we-spend-our-life_894598.jpg) > “In civilized societies, we spend our lifetimes trying to become what is socially acceptable. We're dark and we're light. We all have both sides to us.” [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Society pressures us to conform, but we contain both darkness and light within. **In simple terms:** We try to be acceptable, yet we have dual natures. Key Takeaway Accept both sides, seek authenticity. Themes identity conformity duality Mood reflective conflicted Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal relationships - career choices - self‑reflection Key Concepts psychology social norms Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile your inner darkness with external expectations? - What parts of yourself are hidden to appear acceptable? A Different Perspective Balancing acceptance and authenticity can be socially costly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Both sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/both-sides/) [Civilized society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilized-society/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Lifetime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifetime/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) ## Related quotes > [I believe that free and civilized societies do not hold prisoners incommunicado.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-mcclintock/i-believe-that-free-and-civilized-societies-do-not-hold-prisoners/) [Tom McClintock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-mcclintock/) > [Marriage is treated by all civilized societies as a peculiar and favored contract. It is in its origin a contract of natural law .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-story/marriage-is-treated-by-all-civilized-societies-as-a-peculiar-and/) [Joseph Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-story/) > [For most of history, war has been a more or less functional institution, providing benefits for those societies that were good at it, although…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwynne-dyer/for-most-of-history-war-has-been-a-more-or-less-functional/) [Gwynne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwynne-dyer/) > [The vigor of civilized societies is preserved by the widespread sense that high aims are worth-while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-vigor-of-civilized-societies-is-preserved-by-the-widespread-sense/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Whatever may be their use in civilized societies, mirrors are essential to all violent and heroic action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/whatever-may-be-their-use-in-civilized-societies-mirrors-are/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Civilized people can talk about anything. 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I think that just by having more media, whether that's TV or Internet, we're able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brie-larson/i-think-more-things-are-becoming-socially-acceptable-i-think-that/) [Brie Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brie-larson/) > [I think temptation is ever present to become something that you think is more socially acceptable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-purser/i-think-temptation-is-ever-present-to-become-something-that-you-think/) [Shannon Purser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-purser/) > [The government has once again made the right socially acceptable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elfriede-jelinek/the-government-has-once-again-made-the-right-socially-acceptable/) [Elfriede Jelinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elfriede-jelinek/) ## More by Robert De Niro > [In the casino, the cardinal rule is to keep them playing and to keep them coming back. The longer they play, the more they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/in-the-casino-the-cardinal-rule-is-to-keep-them-playing-and-to-keep/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [I guess the only thing to do now is meet his parents. I'm sure they're decent people. I mean they gotta be if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-guess-the-only-thing-to-do-now-is-meet-his-parents-i-m-sure-they-re/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [I like to visit L.A., but I wouldn't want to live there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-like-to-visit-l-a-but-i-wouldn-t-want-to-live-there/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [You don't need words to express feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/you-don-t-need-words-to-express-feelings/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [You don't just play a part. You've got to earn the right to play it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/you-don-t-just-play-a-part-you-ve-got-to-earn-the-right-to-play-it/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [I've been in so many movies that I automatically know what's happening on the set. Things that I don't even remember consciously I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-ve-been-in-so-many-movies-that-i-automatically-know-what-s/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [There is a certain combination of anarchy and discipline in the way I work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/there-is-a-certain-combination-of-anarchy-and-discipline-in-the-way-i/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [The hardest thing about being famous is that ... in a conversation everybody's agreeing with what you're saying. ... You need people who can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/the-hardest-thing-about-being-famous-is-that-in-a-conversation/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [I mean, the actors that I admired were Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift, an actress named Barbara Harris. And Greta Garbo. They were great actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-mean-the-actors-that-i-admired-were-marlon-brando-montgomery-clift/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [It's important not to indicate. People don't try to show their feelings, they try to hide them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/it-s-important-not-to-indicate-people-don-t-try-to-show-their/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [I hurt someone's feelings once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-hurt-someone-s-feelings-once/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [As I get older, I think that things have been pre-determined for me, whether I liked it or wanted it, wished for it, whatever,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/as-i-get-older-i-think-that-things-have-been-pre-determined-for-me/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [New York is more exciting, I guess, than even Paris or London. New York's the center of something; I don't know what, really -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/new-york-is-more-exciting-i-guess-than-even-paris-or-london-new-york/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [I'm not a big football person at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-m-not-a-big-football-person-at-all/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [I will not hesitate. Not for a second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-will-not-hesitate-not-for-a-second/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) [Explore all 123 Robert De Niro quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) ## More Acceptable quotes > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [I remember being a kid and seeing the 'National Inquirer' at the grocery store checkout line. 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It furnishes examples of holy living, and displays…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-howard-taft/the-study-of-freemasonry-is-the-study-of-man-as-a-candidate-for-a/) [William Howard Taft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-howard-taft/) > [Or why it is acceptable to train fast runners and high jumpers but not to breed them. I can think of some answers, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/or-why-it-is-acceptable-to-train-fast-runners-and-high-jumpers-but/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [As the future is never known with certainty, the evaluation of the prospective benefits requires the formation of expectations. An acceptable house, partner or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-t-mortensen/as-the-future-is-never-known-with-certainty-the-evaluation-of-the/) [Dale T. Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-t-mortensen/) > [If a man is pictured chopping off a woman's breast, it only gets an R rating; but if, God forbid, a man is pictured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-struthers/if-a-man-is-pictured-chopping-off-a-woman-s-breast-it-only-gets-an-r/) Sally Struthers > [We cannot guess the outcome of our actions... Which is why our actions must always be acceptable in themselves, and not as strategies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-heilbrun/we-cannot-guess-the-outcome-of-our-actions-which-is-why-our-actions/) [Carolyn Heilbrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-heilbrun/) > [In any case, open-seat presidential elections like 2008 just are different in character from incumbent reelects, and I think that's the most important thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kristol/in-any-case-open-seat-presidential-elections-like-2008-just-are/) [William Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kristol/) > [It's horrible how money and fame can make you acceptable while, if you're not famous or rich, you're not acceptable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-tonioli/it-s-horrible-how-money-and-fame-can-make-you-acceptable-while-if-you/) [Bruno Tonioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-tonioli/) > [I disagree with the prevailing point of view of some black leaders that special treatment for blacks is acceptable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/i-disagree-with-the-prevailing-point-of-view-of-some-black-leaders/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [We get used to a certain kind of colour of form or format, and it's acceptable. 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