--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In civilized society we all depend upon…" description: "\"In civilized society we all depend upon each other, and our happiness is very much owing to the good opinion of mankind.\" — Samuel Johnson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90e/samuel-johnson-50_civilized_in-civilized-society-we-all-depend-upon_662196.png" --- # In civilized society we all depend upon each other, and… ![“In civilized society we all depend upon each other, and our happiness is very much owing to the good opinion of mankind.” quote by Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90e/samuel-johnson-50_civilized_in-civilized-society-we-all-depend-upon_662196.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90e/samuel-johnson-50_civilized_in-civilized-society-we-all-depend-upon_662196.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90e/samuel-johnson-50_civilized_in-civilized-society-we-all-depend-upon_662196.png) > “In civilized society we all depend upon each other, and our happiness is very much owing to the good opinion of mankind.” [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human happiness depends heavily on mutual respect and positive social perception. **In simple terms:** We thrive on others' good opinions. Key Takeaway Cultivate respectful relationships. Themes community happiness social interdependence Mood optimistic thoughtful Type sociological inspirational When to use this quote - teamwork - public speaking - leadership - community building Key Concepts sociology ethics psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you nurture positive regard? - What happens when opinions clash? A Different Perspective Society also includes conflict and differing opinions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civilized society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilized-society/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) ## Related quotes > [Society cannot but depend to a disproportionate degree on its capable few to develop and flourish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/society-cannot-but-depend-to-a-disproportionate-degree-on-its-capable/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The divine science of government is the science of social happiness, and the blessings of society depend entirely on the constitutions of government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/the-divine-science-of-government-is-the-science-of-social-happiness/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [It is still an open question as to whether mankind or insects shall ultimately inherit the earth. It is my opinion that mankind ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-f-ashurst/it-is-still-an-open-question-as-to-whether-mankind-or-insects-shall/) [Henry F. Ashurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-f-ashurst/) > [If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person than he, if he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/if-all-mankind-minus-one-were-of-one-opinion-mankind-would-be-no-more/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Don't depend your happiness on the hands of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirina-ayukawa/don-t-depend-your-happiness-on-the-hands-of-others/) [Kirina Ayukawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirina-ayukawa/) > [“If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/if-all-mankind-minus-one-were-of-one-opinion-and-only-one-person-were/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Never depend on anyone else other than yourself for happiness. You may never be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica/never-depend-on-anyone-else-other-than-yourself-for-happiness-you-may/) Jessica > [If we depend for our happiness on another, on society or on environment, they become essential to us; we cling to them, and any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/if-we-depend-for-our-happiness-on-another-on-society-or-on/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [My opinion of mankind is founded upon the mournful fact that, so far as I can see, they find within themselves the means of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-de-morgan/my-opinion-of-mankind-is-founded-upon-the-mournful-fact-that-so-far/) [Augustus De Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-de-morgan/) > [I hesitate to predict whether this theory is true. But if the general opinion of Mankind is optimistic then we're in for a period…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eddings/i-hesitate-to-predict-whether-this-theory-is-true-but-if-the-general/) [David Eddings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-eddings/) > [I'm one of those people who are okay with being single. It gives me time to find and build myself. I refuse to depend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camilia/i-m-one-of-those-people-who-are-okay-with-being-single-it-gives-me/) [Camilia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camilia/) > [The good opinion of mankind, like the lever of Archimedes, with the given fulcrum, moves the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-good-opinion-of-mankind-like-the-lever-of-archimedes-with-the/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Rely on no one. Depend on no one for your happiness. I am declaring my independence. I am establishing a republic unto myself. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-gamalinda/rely-on-no-one-depend-on-no-one-for-your-happiness-i-am-declaring-my/) [Eric Gamalinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-gamalinda/) > [Never depend on someone for your happiness. They aren't gonna be always there for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/never-depend-on-someone-for-your-happiness-they-aren-t-gonna-be/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [In civilized society external advantages make us more respected. A man with a good coat upon his back meets with a better reception than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/in-civilized-society-external-advantages-make-us-more-respected-a-man/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## More by Samuel Johnson > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [You can never be wise unless you love reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/you-can-never-be-wise-unless-you-love-reading/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-our-aim-is-to-praise-we-should-forget-to-criticize-if-our-aim-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [All theory is against free will; all experience is for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/all-theory-is-against-free-will-all-experience-is-for-it/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Had I learned to fiddle, I should have done nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/had-i-learned-to-fiddle-i-should-have-done-nothing-else/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [It is as foolish to make experiments upon the constancy of a friend, as upon the chastity of a wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-as-foolish-to-make-experiments-upon-the-constancy-of-a-friend/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Resolve not to be poor: whatever you have, spend less. Poverty is a great enemy to human happiness; it certainly destroys liberty, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/resolve-not-to-be-poor-whatever-you-have-spend-less-poverty-is-a/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The basis of all excellence is truth: he that professes love ought to feel its power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-basis-of-all-excellence-is-truth-he-that-professes-love-ought-to/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Words are daughters of earth but ideas are sons of heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/words-are-daughters-of-earth-but-ideas-are-sons-of-heaven/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“The composition of Shakespeare is a forest, in which oaks extend in the air, interspersed sometimes with weeds and brambles, and sometimes giving shelting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-composition-of-shakespeare-is-a-forest-in-which-oaks-extend-in/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“The cherubim were never intended as an object of worship, because they were only the appendices to another thing. But a thing is then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-cherubim-were-never-intended-as-an-object-of-worship-because-they/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Nobody has the right to put another under such a difficulty that he must either hurt the person by telling the truth or hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/nobody-has-the-right-to-put-another-under-such-a-difficulty-that-he/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [That kind of life is most happy which affords us most opportunities of gaining our own self-esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/that-kind-of-life-is-most-happy-which-affords-us-most-opportunities/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The time will come to every human being when it must be known how well he can bear to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-time-will-come-to-every-human-being-when-it-must-be-known-how/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) [Explore all 1,998 Samuel Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) ## More Civilized quotes > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Be neither too early in the fashion, nor too long out of it, nor too precisely in it; what custom hath civilized is become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/be-neither-too-early-in-the-fashion-nor-too-long-out-of-it-nor-too/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/wine-is-one-of-the-most-civilized-things-in-the-world-and-one-of-the/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Civilized nations are ones that simply can't endure wrongs or injustice except at home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-anderson/civilized-nations-are-ones-that-simply-can-t-endure-wrongs-or/) Joseph Anderson > [Our guiding principle was that design is neither an intellectual nor a material affair, but simply an integral part of the stuff of life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-gropius/our-guiding-principle-was-that-design-is-neither-an-intellectual-nor/) [Walter Gropius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-gropius/) > [War is not civilized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-kweli/war-is-not-civilized/) [Talib Kweli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-kweli/) > [For it is an absurdity to call a country civilized in which a decent and industrious man, laboriously mastering a trade which is valuble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/for-it-is-an-absurdity-to-call-a-country-civilized-in-which-a-decent/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [No people is wholly civilized where a distinction is drawn between stealing an office and stealing a purse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/no-people-is-wholly-civilized-where-a-distinction-is-drawn-between/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [Mine was, as it were, the connecting link between wild and cultivated fields; as some states are civilized, and others half-civilized, and others savage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/mine-was-as-it-were-the-connecting-link-between-wild-and-cultivated/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The military mind is indeed a menace. Old-fashioned futurity that sees only men fighting and dying in smoke and fire; hears nothing more civilized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-o-casey/the-military-mind-is-indeed-a-menace-old-fashioned-futurity-that-sees/) [Sean O'Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-o-casey/) > [As long as there are prisons, police, armies, navies; we are not civilized. When the Earth joins together and uses the Earth intelligently, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/as-long-as-there-are-prisons-police-armies-navies-we-are-not/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [We're all intrigued, in our civilized world that we live in, and curious about how we would get on, on an undiscovered island that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hiddleston/we-re-all-intrigued-in-our-civilized-world-that-we-live-in-and/) [Tom Hiddleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hiddleston/) > [When passions and appetites are stronger than the intellect, men are savages; when the intellect governs the passions, when the passions are servants, men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/when-passions-and-appetites-are-stronger-than-the-intellect-men-are/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [The malady of civilized man is his knowledge of death. The good artist, like the wise man, addresses himself to life and invests with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/the-malady-of-civilized-man-is-his-knowledge-of-death-the-good-artist/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Savage peoples are ruled by passion, civilized peoples by the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/savage-peoples-are-ruled-by-passion-civilized-peoples-by-the-mind/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) Browse all 1,043 Civilized quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In civilized society we all depend upon each other, and our happiness is very much owing to the good opinion of mankind.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Johnson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/in-civilized-society-we-all-depend-upon-each-other-and-our-happiness/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Civilized" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/in-civilized-society-we-all-depend-upon-each-other-and-our-happiness/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90e/samuel-johnson-50_civilized_in-civilized-society-we-all-depend-upon_662196.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90e/samuel-johnson-50_civilized_in-civilized-society-we-all-depend-upon_662196.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90e/samuel-johnson-50_civilized_in-civilized-society-we-all-depend-upon_662196.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In civilized society we all depend upon each other, and our happiness is very much owing to the good opinion…” — Samuel Johnson", "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": "Samuel Johnson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In civilized society we all depend...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/in-civilized-society-we-all-depend-upon-each-other-and-our-happiness/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/in-civilized-society-we-all-depend-upon-each-other-and-our-happiness/#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 } } ] } ```