Civilized Quote by Thomas Lynch
““The flush toilet, more than any single invention, has 'civilized' us in a way that religion and law could never accomplish.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Flush Toilet and Modern Civilization, 2015
The flush toilet revolutionized hygiene and public health far beyond what religion or law could achieve.
In simple terms: The toilet greatly improved civilization more than religion or law.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the impact of everyday inventions.
Themes
technology
public health
civilization
innovation
hygiene
Mood
reflective
appreciative
Type
historical
technological
When to use this quote
- home construction
- urban planning
- public policy
- education
Key Concepts
sanitation
social progress
engineering
Questions to Reflect On
- How does sanitation shape society?
- What other inventions have similar impact?
A Different Perspective
May downplay cultural influences on hygiene.
![“[The flush toilet is] a wonderful waste disposal device. But I think that it's so good it doesn't smell, we can put it in our house, we can lock it behind a door and I think we've locked it out of conversation too.” quote by Suman Rai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3e3/suman-rai-785_facts_the-flush-toilet-is-a-wonderful-waste-di_1726165.jpg)
![“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)
