Culture Quote by Tom Shadyac
“Look at native cultures - they've lasted for tens of thousands of years, not doing everything right. We wouldn't want to emulate them in many ways, but their basic philosophies - being a part of nature, a part of a tribe or group without elevating, not what you call dominator philosophies - they lasted for tens of thousands of years. It took us to come and put them asunder.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: TED Talk, 2012
Indigenous cultures survive long by embracing community and humility, not domination; modern societies often disrupt these values.
In simple terms: Long‑lasting cultures value nature and community over control.
Key Takeaway
Learn from communal humility.
Themes
culture
sustainability
humility
community
Mood
reflective
inspirational
Type
philosophical
educational
When to use this quote
- environmental stewardship
- community building
- educational curricula
Key Concepts
anthropology
ecology
social philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- What aspects of tribal life can modern societies adopt?
- How can we balance tradition with progress?
A Different Perspective
Romanticizing the past can ignore their flaws.
![“Their [philosophers] thinking is, in fact, far less a discovery than a re-recognizing, a remembering, a return and a home-coming to a far-off, ancient common-household of the soul, out of which those ideas formerly grew: philosophizing is so far a kind of atavism of the highest order.” quote by Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8a4/friedrich-nietzsche-15_philosopher_their-philosophers-thinking-is-in-fact-f_2781328.jpg)
