--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Curiously enough, it seems that at times…" description: "\"“Curiously enough, it seems that at times the spiritual side prevails, and then the materialistic side—in wave-like motions following each other. ...At..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e66/swami-vivekananda-53_1897_curiously-enough-it-seems-that-at-times_3176892.jpg" --- # Curiously enough, it seems that at times the spiritual… ![“Curiously enough, it seems that at times the spiritual side prevails, and then the materialistic side—in wave-like motions following each other. ...At one time the full flood of materialistic ideas prevails, and everything in this life—prosperity, the education which procures more pleasures, more…” quote by Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e66/swami-vivekananda-53_1897_curiously-enough-it-seems-that-at-times_3176892.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e66/swami-vivekananda-53_1897_curiously-enough-it-seems-that-at-times_3176892.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e66/swami-vivekananda-53_1897_curiously-enough-it-seems-that-at-times_3176892.jpg) > ““Curiously enough, it seems that at times the spiritual side prevails, and then the materialistic side—in wave-like motions following each other. ...At one time the full flood of materialistic ideas prevails, and everything in this life—prosperity, the education which procures more pleasures, more food—will become glorious at first and then that will degrade and degenerate. Along with the prosperity will rise to white heat all the inborn jealousies and hatreds of the human race. Competition and merciless cruelty will be the watchword of the day. To quote a very commonplace and not very elegant English proverb, "Everyone for himself, and the devil take the hindmost", becomes the motto of the day. Then people think that the whole scheme of life is a failure. And the world would be destroyed had not spirituality come to the rescue and lent a helping hand to the sinking world. Then the world gets new hope and finds a new basis for a new building, and another wave of spirituality comes, which in time again declines. As a rule, spirituality brings a class of men who lay exclusive claim to the special powers of the world. The immediate effect of this is a reaction towards materialism, which opens the door to scores of exclusive claims, until the time comes when not only all the spiritual powers of the race, but all its material powers and privileges are centered in the hands of a very few; and these few, standing on the necks of the masses of the people, want to rule them. Then society has to help itself, and materialism comes to the rescue.”” [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage describes cyclical dominance of materialism and spirituality, warning that material excess breeds cruelty, while spirituality can become elitist, leading back to materialism. **In simple terms:** Cycles of materialism and spirituality alternate, each leading to excess and oppression. Key Takeaway Seek balance and avoid extremes. Themes philosophy society ethics Mood reflective concerned Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - economic booms - cultural shifts - political movements - social reforms Key Concepts materialism spirituality power dynamics history Questions to Reflect On - Can society sustain true balance? - What role does individual responsibility play? A Different Perspective Spirituality can also become oppressive if monopolized. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cycles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cycles/) [Helping hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping-hand/) [Human race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-race/) [Materialism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/materialism/) [New hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-hope/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Spirituality brings a class of men who lay exclusive claim to the special powers of the world. The immediate effect of this is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/spirituality-brings-a-class-of-men-who-lay-exclusive-claim-to-the/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“But there is yet time to change our ways. 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When the ad comes on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-d-lang/spirituality-comes-from-questioning-everything-but-at-the-same-time/) [K. D. Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-d-lang/) > [“Yet each man kills the thing he loves, By each let this be heard, Some do it with a bitter look, Some with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/yet-each-man-kills-the-thing-he-loves-by-each-let-this-be-heard-some/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“...wearing a turban of yellow, signifying knowledge, and a robe of purple, portraying purity and activity, Virchand Gandhi of Bombay delivered a lecture on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/new-york-times/wearing-a-turban-of-yellow-signifying-knowledge-and-a-robe-of-purple/) New York Times > [Every Monday morning is new hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maira-kalman/every-monday-morning-is-new-hope/) [Maira Kalman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maira-kalman/) > [Our efforts have brought new hope to all mankind. We have beaten back despair and defeatism. We have saved a number of countries from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/our-efforts-have-brought-new-hope-to-all-mankind-we-have-beaten-back/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [“Padmé insists: “There’s always a choice.” Does Anakin hear the echo of her voice decades later, when he decides to save their son from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-r-sunstein/padm-insists-there-s-always-a-choice-does-anakin-hear-the-echo-of-her/) [Cass R. Sunstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-r-sunstein/) > [“Your case gives me new hope," I said to him. "With me, more and more often I happen to pick up a novel that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italo-calvino/your-case-gives-me-new-hope-i-said-to-him-with-me-more-and-more-often/) [Italo Calvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italo-calvino/) > [“As Red Buffalo disappeared into the darkness, Hunter’s hand, which was riding Loretta’s thickened waist, tightened. He glanced down, his brows lifting in question.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-anderson/as-red-buffalo-disappeared-into-the-darkness-hunter-s-hand-which-was/) [Catherine Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-anderson/) > [“The sea will grant each man new hope The sleep brings dreams of home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/the-sea-will-grant-each-man-new-hope-the-sleep-brings-dreams-of-home/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [Start everyday with a new hope leave bad memories behind and have faith for a better tomorrow …](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexa-dolmo/start-everyday-with-a-new-hope-leave-bad-memories-behind-and-have/) [Alexa Dolmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexa-dolmo/) ## More by Swami Vivekananda > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Holiness sincerity, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/holiness-sincerity-and-faith/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [The Hindus have a peculiar slovenliness in business matters, not being sufficiently methodical and strict in keeping accounts etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-hindus-have-a-peculiar-slovenliness-in-business-matters-not-being/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Renunciation is in our blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/renunciation-is-in-our-blood/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Let positive, strong, helpful thoughts enter into your brains from very childhood. 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Your mind, my mind, all these little minds, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/there-is-a-continuity-of-mind-as-the-yogis-call-it-the-mind-is/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) [Explore all 1,889 Swami Vivekananda quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) ## More 1897 quotes > [“Yet each man kills the thing he loves, By each let this be heard, Some do it with a bitter look, Some with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/yet-each-man-kills-the-thing-he-loves-by-each-let-this-be-heard-some/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Though our castes and institutions are apparently linked with our religion, they are not so. These institutions have been necessary to protect us as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/though-our-castes-and-institutions-are-apparently-linked-with-our/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“We must also remember that in every little village-god and every little superstitious custom is that which we are accustomed to call our religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/we-must-also-remember-that-in-every-little-village-god-and-every/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“But there is yet time to change our ways. Give up all those old discussions, old fights about things which are meaningless, which are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/but-there-is-yet-time-to-change-our-ways-give-up-all-those-old/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“...wearing a turban of yellow, signifying knowledge, and a robe of purple, portraying purity and activity, Virchand Gandhi of Bombay delivered a lecture on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/new-york-times/wearing-a-turban-of-yellow-signifying-knowledge-and-a-robe-of-purple/) New York Times Browse all 6 1897 quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Curiously enough, it seems that at times the spiritual side prevails, and then the materialistic side—in wave-like motions following each other. ...At one time the full flood of materialistic ideas prevails, and everything in this life—prosperity, the education which procures more pleasures, more food—will become glorious at first and then that will degrade and degenerate. Along with the prosperity will rise to white heat all the inborn jealousies and hatreds of the human race. Competition and merciless cruelty will be the watchword of the day. To quote a very commonplace and not very elegant English proverb, \"Everyone for himself, and the devil take the hindmost\", becomes the motto of the day. Then people think that the whole scheme of life is a failure. And the world would be destroyed had not spirituality come to the rescue and lent a helping hand to the sinking world. Then the world gets new hope and finds a new basis for a new building, and another wave of spirituality comes, which in time again declines. As a rule, spirituality brings a class of men who lay exclusive claim to the special powers of the world. 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