Civilized Quote by Sharon Olds
“I have heard about the civilized, the marriages run on talk, elegant and honest, rational. But and I are savages.”
About This Quote
Source Poem: “The Civilized,” 1995
Even in refined societies, primal instincts persist, highlighting a tension between civility and savagery.
In simple terms: Civilized life still has wild instincts.
Key Takeaway
Acknowledge our inner savagery.
Themes
civilization
instinct
duality
Mood
reflective
poignant
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- family life
- urban living
- conflict resolution
Key Concepts
human nature
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- What primal urges surface in daily life?
- How can we integrate instinct with civility?
A Different Perspective
Idealizing civility may ignore real needs.
![“That country [Carthage] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws; and every step of intestine discord was marked by some deplorable victory of savage man over civilized society.” quote by Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/70c/edward-gibbon-710_barbarism_that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinkin_393.jpg)
