--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The foundations of some formerly strong…" description: "\"“The foundations of some formerly strong lands became so riddled with termites of diminished purpose, so decayed with the decadence of smug moderation,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/terry-goodkind-924_society_the-foundations-of-some-formerly-strong_820636.jpg" --- # The foundations of some formerly strong lands became so… ![“The foundations of some formerly strong lands became so riddled with termites of diminished purpose, so decayed with the decadence of smug moderation, and so emaciated with the vacillating aims of appears, that even when they saw the enemy coming and did resist, they were easily toppled when the…” quote by Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/terry-goodkind-924_society_the-foundations-of-some-formerly-strong_820636.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/terry-goodkind-924_society_the-foundations-of-some-formerly-strong_820636.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/terry-goodkind-924_society_the-foundations-of-some-formerly-strong_820636.jpg) > ““The foundations of some formerly strong lands became so riddled with termites of diminished purpose, so decayed with the decadence of smug moderation, and so emaciated with the vacillating aims of appears, that even when they saw the enemy coming and did resist, they were easily toppled when the Imperial Order finally pushed.”” [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A once strong nation fell because its purpose eroded, moderation grew complacent, and goals wavered, leaving it vulnerable to a decisive enemy. **In simple terms:** Weak purpose and indecision lead to collapse. Key Takeaway Maintain clear purpose and decisive action. Themes purpose complacency decisiveness political decay leadership Mood cautious reflective critical Type analytical historical When to use this quote - political analysis - historical study - leadership training Key Concepts national decline strategic vulnerability imperial ambition Questions to Reflect On - How can a society revive its purpose? - What steps prevent complacency? A Different Perspective Even with awareness, entrenched habits can resist change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Purpose Decayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose-decayed-469892/) [Riddled Termites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/riddled-termites-469889/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) [Society-s-increasing-stupidity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society-s-increasing-stupidity/) [Termites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/termites-469891/) [Termites Diminished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/termites-diminished-469890/) [Toppled Imperial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toppled-imperial-469888/) ## Related quotes > [“Constantly exposing yourself to popular culture and the mass media will ultimately shape your reality tunnel in ways that are not necessarily conducive to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthon-st-maarten/constantly-exposing-yourself-to-popular-culture-and-the-mass-media/) [Anthon St. Maarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthon-st-maarten/) > [“Revirgination surgery for women is the fastest growing segment within the Indian cosmetic surgery industry. But any culture that decides a woman’s worth by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mallika-nawal/revirgination-surgery-for-women-is-the-fastest-growing-segment-within/) [Mallika Nawal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mallika-nawal/) > [“You are who you are what you say you are to people, but who are you when no one is watching?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-who-you-are-what-you-say-you-are-to-people-but-who-are-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When the Rule of Law disappears, we are ruled by the whims of men.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-madison/when-the-rule-of-law-disappears-we-are-ruled-by-the-whims-of-men/) [Tiffany Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-madison/) > [“Logically, if you grow up here and you are open minded, you go to college and never come back. If you like it here,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-p-ching/logically-if-you-grow-up-here-and-you-are-open-minded-you-go-to/) [G.P. Ching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-p-ching/) > [“I'm immigrant. I'm democrat but I'm politically incorrect. We living in a colorblind society who been brained washed from liberals. I'm sorry but refuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beta-metani-marashi/i-m-immigrant-i-m-democrat-but-i-m-politically-incorrect-we-living-in/) [Beta Metani' Marashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beta-metani-marashi/) > [“The conventional wisdom says that societies seem more civilized than they actually are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-ashok-anand/the-conventional-wisdom-says-that-societies-seem-more-civilized-than/) [Dr. Ashok Anand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-ashok-anand/) > [“The masses are not interested in the truth… they want to be entertained.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohith-s-katbamna/the-masses-are-not-interested-in-the-truth-they-want-to-be-entertained/) [Rohith S. Katbamna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohith-s-katbamna/) > [“The truth is: Everyone will judge you. But this depends upon your intellectual capacity whether you are able to distinguish constructive criticism between an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-everyone-will-judge-you-but-this-depends-upon-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In today's world the society appears to be a deviant and all people normal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-abraham/in-today-s-world-the-society-appears-to-be-a-deviant-and-all-people/) [Amit Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-abraham/) > [“Do you have a shoulder to cry on? Someone who would listen to your deepest woes without judging you? Or is it just you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanhita-baruah/do-you-have-a-shoulder-to-cry-on-someone-who-would-listen-to-your/) [Sanhita Baruah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanhita-baruah/) > [“Unfortunately, you are far more likely to be harmed or die prematurely as a direct result of modern society than you are from any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/unfortunately-you-are-far-more-likely-to-be-harmed-or-die-prematurely/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [I know we're termites. But if all the termites got together, the house would fall down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florynce-kennedy/i-know-we-re-termites-but-if-all-the-termites-got-together-the-house/) [Florynce Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florynce-kennedy/) > [It is interesting, that termites don't build things, and the great builders of our nation almost to a man have been Christians, because Christians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/it-is-interesting-that-termites-don-t-build-things-and-the-great/) [Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) > [The books of Expectations have begun to despair of termites, Wedo not like Again and again broke Shred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-books-of-expectations-have-begun-to-despair-of-termites-wedo-not/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) ## More by Terry Goodkind > [Sometimes, it is necessary to step beyond what you have known and to reach for something more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/sometimes-it-is-necessary-to-step-beyond-what-you-have-known-and-to/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“It should hurt, shouldn’t it? Shouldn’t it hurt to be ripped in half? But it didn’t. It didn’t hurt the least little bit. Cold.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/it-should-hurt-shouldn-t-it-shouldn-t-it-hurt-to-be-ripped-in-half/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [Dancing with death meant being committed to killing, committed with your heart and soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/dancing-with-death-meant-being-committed-to-killing-committed-with/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [Only a fool walks into the future backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/only-a-fool-walks-into-the-future-backwards/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“Sometimes it's more important to seize the chance and do what you can even knowing that it won't likely account for everything, that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/sometimes-it-s-more-important-to-seize-the-chance-and-do-what-you-can/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“While it was understandable to be afraid, and no one would expect you not to be, the worst thing you could do was to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/while-it-was-understandable-to-be-afraid-and-no-one-would-expect-you/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“Leadership is a nurturing of those under your command.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/leadership-is-a-nurturing-of-those-under-your-command/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“To question me once is a simple mistake, Lieutenant. Twice is treason. We execute traitors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/to-question-me-once-is-a-simple-mistake-lieutenant-twice-is-treason/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [Fate does not seek our consent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/fate-does-not-seek-our-consent/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [Wizard's Third Rule Passion rules reason, For better or for worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/wizard-s-third-rule-passion-rules-reason-for-better-or-for-worse/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“Nicci looked up at Kahlan. “Knives are not my talent.” “It’s not hard,” Kahlan said as she pressed the handle into Nicci’s hand. “When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/nicci-looked-up-at-kahlan-knives-are-not-my-talent-it-s-not-hard/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“This was why he couldn’t let Richard know it was the chimes themselves that were loose. Richard would not have accepted what Zedd intended,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/this-was-why-he-couldn-t-let-richard-know-it-was-the-chimes/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [“price. There is no such thing as pure good or pure evil, least of all in people. In the best of us there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/price-there-is-no-such-thing-as-pure-good-or-pure-evil-least-of-all/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [The first step to believing something is true is wanting to believe it is true... or being afraid it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/the-first-step-to-believing-something-is-true-is-wanting-to-believe/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [...you'll find that being a friend is to like a person for who they are, even the parts you don't understand. You don't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/you-ll-find-that-being-a-friend-is-to-like-a-person-for-who-they-are/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) [Explore all 323 Terry Goodkind quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) ## More Society quotes > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Gambling has held human beings in thrall for millennia. It has been engaged in everywhere, from the dregs of society to the most respectable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-l-bernstein/gambling-has-held-human-beings-in-thrall-for-millennia-it-has-been/) [Peter L. Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-l-bernstein/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [When will society, like a mother, take care of all her children?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/when-will-society-like-a-mother-take-care-of-all-her-children/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) > [“A man's work reveals him. In social intercourse he gives you the surface that he wishes the world to accept, but in his book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-man-s-work-reveals-him-in-social-intercourse-he-gives-you-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [I am an aware citizen, so I want my characters to be aware, too. They should be aware of what's happening in the society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pankaj-tripathi/i-am-an-aware-citizen-so-i-want-my-characters-to-be-aware-too-they/) [Pankaj Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pankaj-tripathi/) > [“If you only knew what those society women are, and women in general! My father is right. Selfish, vain, stupid, trivial in everything—that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/if-you-only-knew-what-those-society-women-are-and-women-in-general-my/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Society is a made-up formula of what we are supposed to be, kept alive by those who believe in it... I laugh in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-gerogiannis/society-is-a-made-up-formula-of-what-we-are-supposed-to-be-kept-alive/) [Christina Gerogiannis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-gerogiannis/) > [If you're white and you're wrong, then you're wrong; if you're black and you're wrong, you're wrong. People are people. Black, blue, pink, green…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-marley/if-you-re-white-and-you-re-wrong-then-you-re-wrong-if-you-re-black/) [Bob Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-marley/) > [I want a society free of human trafficking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anuradha-koirala/i-want-a-society-free-of-human-trafficking/) [Anuradha Koirala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anuradha-koirala/) > [I am not a nationalist in any way, and I hate flag waving, and I don't think much good has come out of nationalism.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stellan-skarsgard/i-am-not-a-nationalist-in-any-way-and-i-hate-flag-waving-and-i-don-t/) [Stellan Skarsgard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stellan-skarsgard/) > [It's tragic what America has become because there is a great segment of society that now resents luxury and success and achievement by others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-leach/it-s-tragic-what-america-has-become-because-there-is-a-great-segment/) [Robin Leach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-leach/) > [If my wisdom could get support from officials, I think society would move forward 20 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chen-guangbiao/if-my-wisdom-could-get-support-from-officials-i-think-society-would/) [Chen Guangbiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chen-guangbiao/) > [“I swear that I will never cause trouble for anybody, as long as I live!! So please! Nobody cause any trouble for me, either!!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minoru-furuya/i-swear-that-i-will-never-cause-trouble-for-anybody-as-long-as-i-live/) [Minoru Furuya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minoru-furuya/) [Browse all 8,047 Society quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The foundations of some formerly strong lands became so riddled with termites of diminished purpose, so decayed with the decadence of smug moderation, and so emaciated with the vacillating aims of appears, that even when they saw the enemy coming and did resist, they were easily toppled when the Imperial Order finally pushed.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Terry Goodkind" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/the-foundations-of-some-formerly-strong-lands-became-so-riddled-with/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Society" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/the-foundations-of-some-formerly-strong-lands-became-so-riddled-with/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/terry-goodkind-924_society_the-foundations-of-some-formerly-strong_820636.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/terry-goodkind-924_society_the-foundations-of-some-formerly-strong_820636.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b95/terry-goodkind-924_society_the-foundations-of-some-formerly-strong_820636.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The foundations of some formerly strong lands became so riddled with termites of diminished purpose, so…” — Terry Goodkind", "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": "Terry Goodkind", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The foundations of some formerly strong...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/the-foundations-of-some-formerly-strong-lands-became-so-riddled-with/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/the-foundations-of-some-formerly-strong-lands-became-so-riddled-with/#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 } } ] } ```