---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Monastic communities are to the great…"
description: "\"“Monastic communities are to the great social community what the mistletoe is to the oak, what the wart is to the human body.”\" — Victor Hugo"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/407/victor-hugo-32_human-body_monastic-communities-are-to-the-great-so_285574.jpg"
---

#  Monastic communities are to the great social community…

![“Monastic communities are to the great social community what the mistletoe is to the oak, what the wart is to the human body.” quote by Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/407/victor-hugo-32_human-body_monastic-communities-are-to-the-great-so_285574.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/407/victor-hugo-32_human-body_monastic-communities-are-to-the-great-so_285574.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/407/victor-hugo-32_human-body_monastic-communities-are-to-the-great-so_285574.jpg)

> ““Monastic communities are to the great social community what the mistletoe is to the oak, what the wart is to the human body.””

[Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Monastic orders, like parasites, cling to society, drawing resources and influencing it negatively.

**In simple terms:** Monasteries can be harmful to society.

Key Takeaway

Question the impact of insular groups.

Themes

religion society power

Mood

critical thoughtful

Type

analytical philosophical

When to use this quote

- historical analysis
- community planning
- policy making

Key Concepts

parasitism dependency social dynamics

Questions to Reflect On

- Do all isolated communities harm society?
- When can they be beneficial?

A Different Perspective

Such groups can also preserve culture and provide social services.

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[Human body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-body/) [Monastic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monastic/)

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