--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Like the Arthurian years at Camelot, the…" description: "\"Like the Arthurian years at Camelot, the Sixties constituted a breakthrough, a fleeting moment of glory, a time when a significant little chunk of huma..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/tom-robbins-169_awakening_like-the-arthurian-years-at-camelot-the_1831751.jpg" --- # Like the Arthurian years at Camelot, the Sixties… ![“Like the Arthurian years at Camelot, the Sixties constituted a breakthrough, a fleeting moment of glory, a time when a significant little chunk of humanity briefly realised its moral potential and flirted with its neurological destiny, a collective spiritual awakening that flared brilliantly until…” quote by Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/tom-robbins-169_awakening_like-the-arthurian-years-at-camelot-the_1831751.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/tom-robbins-169_awakening_like-the-arthurian-years-at-camelot-the_1831751.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/tom-robbins-169_awakening_like-the-arthurian-years-at-camelot-the_1831751.jpg) > “Like the Arthurian years at Camelot, the Sixties constituted a breakthrough, a fleeting moment of glory, a time when a significant little chunk of humanity briefly realised its moral potential and flirted with its neurological destiny, a collective spiritual awakening that flared brilliantly until the barbaric and mediocre impulses of the species drew tight once more the curtains of darkness.” [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The 1960s were a brief, intense period where many people felt humanity could reach higher moral and spiritual heights, but this optimism was quickly dimmed by darker human tendencies. **In simple terms:** The 60s felt like a short burst of hope before returning to ordinary flaws. Key Takeaway Recognize fleeting moments of collective hope and work to sustain them. Themes hope spiritual awakening human nature history culture Mood reflective nostalgic inspirational Type philosophical historical cultural When to use this quote - social movements - artistic expression - political activism - community building - personal growth Key Concepts collective consciousness moral potential neurological destiny cultural renaissance Questions to Reflect On - How can societies preserve the positive momentum of cultural awakenings? - What forces cause collective hope to wane? A Different Perspective Optimism can be short‑lived; societal regression often follows idealistic peaks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Awakening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awakening/) [Breakthrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakthrough/) [Breakthrough Fleeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakthrough-fleeting-2279911/) [Camelot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/camelot/) [Camelot Sixties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/camelot-sixties-2279907/) [Collectives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collectives/) [Curtains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curtains/) [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Destiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destiny/) [Fleeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fleeting/) [Glory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glory/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Humanity Briefly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity-briefly-2279909/) [Impulse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impulse/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Mediocre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediocre/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Significant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/significant/) [Sixties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sixties/) [Sixties Constituted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sixties-constituted-2279908/) [Sixty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sixty/) [Species](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/species/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Spiritual awakening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual-awakening/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [Years Camelot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-camelot-2279910/) ## Related quotes > [“the sixties constituted a breakthrough, a fleeting moment of glory, a time when a significant little chunk of humanity briefly realized its moral potential…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-sixties-constituted-a-breakthrough-a-fleeting-moment-of-glory-a/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [The magical dust of Christmas glittered on the cheeks of humanity ever so briefly, reminding us of what is worth having and what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/the-magical-dust-of-christmas-glittered-on-the-cheeks-of-humanity/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [And, the sets that they built are just so beautiful. It's like going to a completely foreign country and experiencing a new culture that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamsin-egerton/and-the-sets-that-they-built-are-just-so-beautiful-it-s-like-going-to/) [Tamsin Egerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamsin-egerton/) > [That's really why I wanted to do it. I wanted to be a part of this generation's telling of Camelot, and also get the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamsin-egerton/that-s-really-why-i-wanted-to-do-it-i-wanted-to-be-a-part-of-this/) [Tamsin Egerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamsin-egerton/) > [There will be great presidents again but there will never be another Camelot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-kennedy/there-will-be-great-presidents-again-but-there-will-never-be-another/) [Jackie Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-kennedy/) > [The winter is forbidden till December, And exits March the second on the dot. By order summer lingers through September In Camelot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-jay-lerner/the-winter-is-forbidden-till-december-and-exits-march-the-second-on/) [Alan Jay Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-jay-lerner/) > [ JFK \[John F. Kennedy\] was young, glamorous, Camelot, funny, engaging. Congress loved him. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/jfk-john-f-kennedy-was-young-glamorous-camelot-funny-engaging/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“But in her web she still delights To weave the mirror’s magic sights, For often thro’ the silent nights A funeral, with plumes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-tennyson/but-in-her-web-she-still-delights-to-weave-the-mirror-s-magic-sights/) [Alfred Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-tennyson/) > [“To many-towered Camelot”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/to-many-towered-camelot/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [“Jackie added in White's article, read by millions, that the Kennedy administration had been Camelot, "a magic moment in American history, when gallant men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-patterson/jackie-added-in-white-s-article-read-by-millions-that-the-kennedy/) [James T. Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-patterson/) > [“Vane grabbed me. “DuLac, let’s chat.” Chat. British-speak for “Stand still while I yell at you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priya-ardis/vane-grabbed-me-dulac-let-s-chat-chat-british-speak-for-stand-still/) [Priya Ardis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priya-ardis/) > [Willows whiten, aspens quiver, Little breezes dusk and shiver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/willows-whiten-aspens-quiver-little-breezes-dusk-and-shiver/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [Unless we change our ways and our direction, our greatness as a nation will soon be a footnote in the history books, a distant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/unless-we-change-our-ways-and-our-direction-our-greatness-as-a-nation/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [The Kennedys have always represented a certain royal quality, Camelot, and they represent a great deal of integrity and strength and perseverance; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-slater/the-kennedys-have-always-represented-a-certain-royal-quality-camelot/) [Christian Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-slater/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) ## More by Tom Robbins > [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Love is the ultimate outlaw. It just won't adhere to any rules. The most any of us can do is to sign on as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/love-is-the-ultimate-outlaw-it-just-won-t-adhere-to-any-rules-the/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [The world is a wonderfully weird place, consensual reality is significantly flawed, no institution can be trusted, certainty is a mirage, security a delusion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-world-is-a-wonderfully-weird-place-consensual-reality-is/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Anyone who maintains absolute standards of good and evil is dangerous. As dangerous as a maniac with a loaded revolver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/anyone-who-maintains-absolute-standards-of-good-and-evil-is-dangerous/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“I believe in everything; nothing is sacred. I believe in nothing; everything is sacred. Ha Ha Ho Ho Hee Hee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/i-believe-in-everything-nothing-is-sacred-i-believe-in-nothing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [A sense of humor...is superior to any religion so far devised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/a-sense-of-humor-is-superior-to-any-religion-so-far-devised/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“Love is the ultimate outlaw. It just won't adhere to any rules. The most any of us can do is to sign on as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/love-is-the-ultimate-outlaw-it-just-won-t-adhere-to-any-rules-the-2/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“The glue that holds the natural world together appears to be a harmonious balance of opposites: day and night, light and dark, winter and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-glue-that-holds-the-natural-world-together-appears-to-be-a/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Zippers are primal and modern at the very same time. On the one hand, your zipper is primitive and reptilian, on the other, mechanical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/zippers-are-primal-and-modern-at-the-very-same-time-on-the-one-hand/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [“religion is a paramount contributor to human misery. It is not merely the opium of the masses, it is the cyanide.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/religion-is-a-paramount-contributor-to-human-misery-it-is-not-merely/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [She continued weeping until the heat of her tear water, the sheer velocity of its flow, finally obscured the already vague circumstances of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/she-continued-weeping-until-the-heat-of-her-tear-water-the-sheer/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [The bottom line is that (a) people are never perfect, but love can be, (b) that is the one and only way that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-bottom-line-is-that-a-people-are-never-perfect-but-love-can-be-b/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Virtually every advancement made by our species since civilization first peeked out of its nest of stone has been initiated by lone individuals, mavericks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/virtually-every-advancement-made-by-our-species-since-civilization/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [When we accept small wonders, we qualify ourselves to imagine great wonders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/when-we-accept-small-wonders-we-qualify-ourselves-to-imagine-great/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) [Explore all 994 Tom Robbins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) ## More Awakening quotes > [It is natural that our minds replay old stories, because that is our own mechanism for trying to work out unresolved problems. Yet rerunning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-brach/it-is-natural-that-our-minds-replay-old-stories-because-that-is-our/) [Tara Brach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-brach/) > [Imitation is the first instinct of the awakening mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/imitation-is-the-first-instinct-of-the-awakening-mind/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [“It is not so much about fighting against the ego; it is more about harmonizing with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-sara/it-is-not-so-much-about-fighting-against-the-ego-it-is-more-about/) [Grace Sara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-sara/) > [Dawn's faint breath breathes with your mouth at the ends of empty streets. Gray light your eyes, sweet drops of dawn on dark hills.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/dawn-s-faint-breath-breathes-with-your-mouth-at-the-ends-of-empty/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [“Low states are a like a poison to the psyche. Millions of people throughout the world take tranquillizers each day to combat depression, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/belsebuub/low-states-are-a-like-a-poison-to-the-psyche-millions-of-people/) [Belsebuub](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/belsebuub/) > [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/) > [My political awakening, if I can be as grand as to call it that, was all about what was happening around me. It wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/my-political-awakening-if-i-can-be-as-grand-as-to-call-it-that-was/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [How often have you sailed in my dreams. And now you come in my awakening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-often-have-you-sailed-in-my-dreams-and-now-you-come-in-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“CWC (Church Women Concerned) enabled us as women in that part of South Africa, to see ourselves as ordinary citizens who found themselves in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sindiwe-magona/cwc-church-women-concerned-enabled-us-as-women-in-that-part-of-south/) [Sindiwe Magona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sindiwe-magona/) > [I feel there is a great spiritual awakening on the planet right now. More than any previous time, people are drawn to meditation, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agapi-stassinopoulos/i-feel-there-is-a-great-spiritual-awakening-on-the-planet-right-now/) [Agapi Stassinopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agapi-stassinopoulos/) > [When I was 20 years old, I got cast in 'Spring Awakening' and got swept up in this experience where it was kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-groff/when-i-was-20-years-old-i-got-cast-in-spring-awakening-and-got-swept/) [Jonathan Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-groff/) > [Motivation is awakening own mind and Inspiration is arising spirit in others to find their own with their heart and soul in all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anuj/motivation-is-awakening-own-mind-and-inspiration-is-arising-spirit-in/) [Anuj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anuj/) > [“Everything we perceive to be solid and static is made up of almost entirely empty space.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-p-kauffman/everything-we-perceive-to-be-solid-and-static-is-made-up-of-almost/) [Joseph P. Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-p-kauffman/) > [Life is perhaps best regarded as a bad dream between two awakenings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-o-neill/life-is-perhaps-best-regarded-as-a-bad-dream-between-two-awakenings/) [Eugene O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-o-neill/) > [“The Illusion - The source of suffering can be linked back to a condition of the mind that creates the illusion of separation--the state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-blanchard/the-illusion-the-source-of-suffering-can-be-linked-back-to-a/) [L.M.Blanchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-blanchard/) [Browse all 1,440 Awakening quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awakening/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Like the Arthurian years at Camelot, the Sixties constituted a breakthrough, a fleeting moment of glory, a time when a significant little chunk of humanity briefly realised its moral potential and flirted with its neurological destiny, a collective spiritual awakening that flared brilliantly until the barbaric and mediocre impulses of the species drew tight once more the curtains of darkness.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Robbins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/like-the-arthurian-years-at-camelot-the-sixties-constituted-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Awakening" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/like-the-arthurian-years-at-camelot-the-sixties-constituted-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/tom-robbins-169_awakening_like-the-arthurian-years-at-camelot-the_1831751.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/tom-robbins-169_awakening_like-the-arthurian-years-at-camelot-the_1831751.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98c/tom-robbins-169_awakening_like-the-arthurian-years-at-camelot-the_1831751.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Like the Arthurian years at Camelot, the Sixties constituted a breakthrough, a fleeting moment of glory, a…” — Tom Robbins", "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": "Tom Robbins", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Like the Arthurian years at Camelot,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/like-the-arthurian-years-at-camelot-the-sixties-constituted-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/like-the-arthurian-years-at-camelot-the-sixties-constituted-a/#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 } } ] } ```