--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Man is a degeneration of what he was." description: "\"Man is a degeneration of what he was.\" — Swami Vivekananda" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/066/swami-vivekananda-53_degeneration_man-is-a-degeneration-of-what-he-was-129_1298762.jpg" --- # Man is a degeneration of what he was. ![“Man is a degeneration of what he was.” quote by Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/066/swami-vivekananda-53_degeneration_man-is-a-degeneration-of-what-he-was-129_1298762.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/066/swami-vivekananda-53_degeneration_man-is-a-degeneration-of-what-he-was-129_1298762.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/066/swami-vivekananda-53_degeneration_man-is-a-degeneration-of-what-he-was-129_1298762.jpg) > “Man is a degeneration of what he was.” [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. Human nature tends to decline from its original potential if not cultivated. **In simple terms:** People can degrade without growth. Key Takeaway Cultivate your higher self. Themes spirituality human potential decline Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - education - personal growth - community leadership Key Concepts philosophy self‑development evolution Questions to Reflect On - How can you nurture your original potential? - What habits prevent decline? A Different Perspective Neglecting self‑improvement leads to stagnation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [It is not dirt but the fear of dirt which is the sign of man's degeneration, and it is dangerous to judge a man's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-yutang/it-is-not-dirt-but-the-fear-of-dirt-which-is-the-sign-of-man-s/) [Lin Yutang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lin-yutang/) > [This faith in themselves was in the hearts of our ancestors, this faith in themselves was the motive power that pushed them forward and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/this-faith-in-themselves-was-in-the-hearts-of-our-ancestors-this/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“To the man who has begun to hate himself the gate to degeneration has already opened; and the same is true of a nation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/to-the-man-who-has-begun-to-hate-himself-the-gate-to-degeneration-has/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [The mind in its foolishness thinks that it is working in this body. Why should I be bound by one system of nerves, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-mind-in-its-foolishness-thinks-that-it-is-working-in-this-body/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [It is thought that the virus is a degeneration from a more complex life form. It may at one time have been capable of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/it-is-thought-that-the-virus-is-a-degeneration-from-a-more-complex/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [The beginning is always so fine!! But decay soon follows. A degeneration into the tired old situation. The rot sets in. This way, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhonen-vasquez/the-beginning-is-always-so-fine-but-decay-soon-follows-a-degeneration/) [Jhonen Vasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhonen-vasquez/) > [Socialism crushes human rights, builds the state, impinges on the liberty of conscience, and breeds social, cultural, and economic degeneration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/llewellyn-rockwell/socialism-crushes-human-rights-builds-the-state-impinges-on-the/) [Llewellyn Rockwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/llewellyn-rockwell/) > [In the eye, there is a type of junk that accumulates in the back of the retina that eventually causes us to go blind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-de-grey/in-the-eye-there-is-a-type-of-junk-that-accumulates-in-the-back-of/) [Aubrey de Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-de-grey/) > [Remember how many beautiful women there were in the 1950s and 1960s, without any surgery? And now, thanks to degeneration, we have this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-lukyanova/remember-how-many-beautiful-women-there-were-in-the-1950s-and-1960s/) [Valeria Lukyanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-lukyanova/) > [“The domestication (the culture) of man does not go deep--where it does go deep it at once becomes degeneration (type: the Christian). The 'savage'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-domestication-the-culture-of-man-does-not-go-deep-where-it-does/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Rose was patently a degenerate. Nature, in scheduling his characteristics, had pruned all superlatives. The rude armour of the flesh, under which the spiritual,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-capes/rose-was-patently-a-degenerate-nature-in-scheduling-his/) [Bernard Capes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-capes/) > [“The too perfect security of the Upper-worlders had led them to a slow movement of degeneration, a general dwindling in size strength and intelligence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-too-perfect-security-of-the-upper-worlders-had-led-them-to-a-slow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Human beings are compelled to live within a lie, but they can be compelled to do so only because they are in fact capable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/human-beings-are-compelled-to-live-within-a-lie-but-they-can-be/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [It is not till it is discovered that high individual incomes will not purchase the mass of mankind immunity from cholera, typhus, and ignorance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-tawney/it-is-not-till-it-is-discovered-that-high-individual-incomes-will-not/) [R. H. Tawney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-h-tawney/) > [Hysteria and degeneration have always existed; but they formerly showed themselves sporadically, and had no importance in the life of the whole community. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-nordau/hysteria-and-degeneration-have-always-existed-but-they-formerly/) [Max Nordau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-nordau/) ## 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. Lay yourselves open to these thoughts, and not to weakening and paralysing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/let-positive-strong-helpful-thoughts-enter-into-your-brains-from-very/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Where can we go to find God if we cannot see Him in our own hearts and in every living being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/where-can-we-go-to-find-god-if-we-cannot-see-him-in-our-own-hearts/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [It is the free alone which never changes, and the unchangeable alone which is free; for change is produced by something exterior to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/it-is-the-free-alone-which-never-changes-and-the-unchangeable-alone/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Above all, India is the land of religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/above-all-india-is-the-land-of-religion/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [The awakening of the soul to its bondage and its effort to stand up and assert itself - this is called life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-awakening-of-the-soul-to-its-bondage-and-its-effort-to-stand-up/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [It is the Prana that is manifesting as motion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/it-is-the-prana-that-is-manifesting-as-motion/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Though an atom is invisible, unthinkable, yet in it are the whole power and potency of the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/though-an-atom-is-invisible-unthinkable-yet-in-it-are-the-whole-power/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Nothing can be produced without a cause, and the effect is but the cause reproduced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/nothing-can-be-produced-without-a-cause-and-the-effect-is-but-the/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [All the strength and succour you want is within yourselves. Therefore make your own future. "Let the dead past bury its dead." The infinite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/all-the-strength-and-succour-you-want-is-within-yourselves-therefore/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Be brave! Be strong! Be fearless! Once you have taken up the spiritual life, fight as long as there is any life in you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/be-brave-be-strong-be-fearless-once-you-have-taken-up-the-spiritual/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“there is a continuity of mind, as the Yogis call it. The mind is universal. 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 Degeneration quotes > [Hysteria and degeneration have always existed; but they formerly showed themselves sporadically, and had no importance in the life of the whole community. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-nordau/hysteria-and-degeneration-have-always-existed-but-they-formerly/) [Max Nordau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-nordau/) > [It is not till it is discovered that high individual incomes will not purchase the mass of mankind immunity from cholera, typhus, and ignorance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-h-tawney/it-is-not-till-it-is-discovered-that-high-individual-incomes-will-not/) [R. H. Tawney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-h-tawney/) > [Human beings are compelled to live within a lie, but they can be compelled to do so only because they are in fact capable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/human-beings-are-compelled-to-live-within-a-lie-but-they-can-be/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [“The too perfect security of the Upper-worlders had led them to a slow movement of degeneration, a general dwindling in size strength and intelligence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-too-perfect-security-of-the-upper-worlders-had-led-them-to-a-slow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Rose was patently a degenerate. Nature, in scheduling his characteristics, had pruned all superlatives. The rude armour of the flesh, under which the spiritual,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-capes/rose-was-patently-a-degenerate-nature-in-scheduling-his/) [Bernard Capes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-capes/) > [The mind in its foolishness thinks that it is working in this body. Why should I be bound by one system of nerves, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-mind-in-its-foolishness-thinks-that-it-is-working-in-this-body/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“The domestication (the culture) of man does not go deep--where it does go deep it at once becomes degeneration (type: the Christian). The 'savage'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-domestication-the-culture-of-man-does-not-go-deep-where-it-does/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Remember how many beautiful women there were in the 1950s and 1960s, without any surgery? And now, thanks to degeneration, we have this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-lukyanova/remember-how-many-beautiful-women-there-were-in-the-1950s-and-1960s/) [Valeria Lukyanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-lukyanova/) > [In the eye, there is a type of junk that accumulates in the back of the retina that eventually causes us to go blind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aubrey-de-grey/in-the-eye-there-is-a-type-of-junk-that-accumulates-in-the-back-of/) [Aubrey de Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aubrey-de-grey/) > [Socialism crushes human rights, builds the state, impinges on the liberty of conscience, and breeds social, cultural, and economic degeneration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/llewellyn-rockwell/socialism-crushes-human-rights-builds-the-state-impinges-on-the/) [Llewellyn Rockwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/llewellyn-rockwell/) > [The beginning is always so fine!! But decay soon follows. A degeneration into the tired old situation. The rot sets in. This way, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhonen-vasquez/the-beginning-is-always-so-fine-but-decay-soon-follows-a-degeneration/) [Jhonen Vasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhonen-vasquez/) > [It is thought that the virus is a degeneration from a more complex life form. It may at one time have been capable of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/it-is-thought-that-the-virus-is-a-degeneration-from-a-more-complex/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [Humanity to me is not a mob. A mob is a degeneration of humanity. A mob is humanity going the wrong way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/humanity-to-me-is-not-a-mob-a-mob-is-a-degeneration-of-humanity-a-mob/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [Welcome to the degeneration of my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-green/welcome-to-the-degeneration-of-my-mind/) [Hank Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-green/) > [I am convinced that 1941 will be the crucial year of a great New Order in Europe. The world shall open up for everyone.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-am-convinced-that-1941-will-be-the-crucial-year-of-a-great-new/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) Browse all 48 Degeneration quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Man is a degeneration of what he was.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Swami Vivekananda" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/man-is-a-degeneration-of-what-he-was/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Degeneration" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/man-is-a-degeneration-of-what-he-was/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/066/swami-vivekananda-53_degeneration_man-is-a-degeneration-of-what-he-was-129_1298762.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/066/swami-vivekananda-53_degeneration_man-is-a-degeneration-of-what-he-was-129_1298762.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/066/swami-vivekananda-53_degeneration_man-is-a-degeneration-of-what-he-was-129_1298762.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Man is a degeneration of what he was.” — Swami Vivekananda", "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": "Swami Vivekananda", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Man is a degeneration of what...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/man-is-a-degeneration-of-what-he-was/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/man-is-a-degeneration-of-what-he-was/#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 } } ] } ```