--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Men have been barbarians much longer than…" description: "\"Men have been barbarians much longer than they have been civilized. They are only precariously civilized, and within us there is the propensity, persis..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/walter-lippmann-1083_barbarians_men-have-been-barbarians-much-longer-tha_2753273.jpg" --- # Men have been barbarians much longer than they have been… ![“Men have been barbarians much longer than they have been civilized. They are only precariously civilized, and within us there is the propensity, persistent as the force of gravity, to revert under stress and strain, under neglect or temptation, to our first natures.” quote by Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/walter-lippmann-1083_barbarians_men-have-been-barbarians-much-longer-tha_2753273.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/walter-lippmann-1083_barbarians_men-have-been-barbarians-much-longer-tha_2753273.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/walter-lippmann-1083_barbarians_men-have-been-barbarians-much-longer-tha_2753273.jpg) > “Men have been barbarians much longer than they have been civilized. They are only precariously civilized, and within us there is the propensity, persistent as the force of gravity, to revert under stress and strain, under neglect or temptation, to our first natures.” [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human nature retains primal instincts that surface under pressure, despite superficial civility. **In simple terms:** We revert to basic instincts when stressed. Key Takeaway Recognize and manage stress triggers. Themes human nature civilization stress instincts Mood reflective serious Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - workplace conflict - personal crises - political upheaval - ethical dilemmas Key Concepts psychology social behavior gravity metaphor Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain civility under pressure? - What structures support lasting civility? A Different Perspective Civilized behavior can be fragile and context‑dependent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Barbarians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barbarians/) [Barbarians Longer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barbarians-longer-3114793/) [Barbarism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barbarism/) [Civilized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilized/) [Civilized Precariously](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilized-precariously-3114792/) [Civilized Propensity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilized-propensity-3114789/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Gravity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gravity/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Barbarians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-barbarians-3114790/) [Neglect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neglect/) [Persistent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persistent/) [Precariously Civilized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/precariously-civilized-3114791/) [Propensity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/propensity/) [Strain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strain/) [Stress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stress/) [Temptation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temptation/) [Under stress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/under-stress/) ## Related quotes > [Spiritual leadership ought to be given to those who have proven themselves under stress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-anders/spiritual-leadership-ought-to-be-given-to-those-who-have-proven/) [Max Anders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-anders/) > [Use no word that under stress of emotion you could not actually say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/use-no-word-that-under-stress-of-emotion-you-could-not-actually-say/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) > [I wrote my thesis on the benefits of war and very near got thrown out of college. But I can show you where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-young/i-wrote-my-thesis-on-the-benefits-of-war-and-very-near-got-thrown-out/) [Don Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-young/) > [Male love circuits get an extra kick when stress levels are high. After an intense physical challenge, for instance, males will bond quickly and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louann-brizendine/male-love-circuits-get-an-extra-kick-when-stress-levels-are-high/) [Louann Brizendine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louann-brizendine/) > [Al Qaeda is not the organization now that it was before. It is under stress organizationally. Its leadership spends more time trying to figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cofer-black/al-qaeda-is-not-the-organization-now-that-it-was-before-it-is-under/) [Cofer Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cofer-black/) > [Power abdicates only under the stress of counter-power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-buber/power-abdicates-only-under-the-stress-of-counter-power/) [Martin Buber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-buber/) > [To me the early childhood story is an ecumenical one. You take poverty seriously. You take seriously maternal depression. You take seriously children under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-manne/to-me-the-early-childhood-story-is-an-ecumenical-one-you-take-poverty/) [Robert Manne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-manne/) > [Men under stress are fools, and fool themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/men-under-stress-are-fools-and-fool-themselves/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [The capacity of man himself is only revealed when, under stress and responsibility, he breaks through his educational shell, and he may then be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-cushing/the-capacity-of-man-himself-is-only-revealed-when-under-stress-and/) [Harvey Cushing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-cushing/) > [Don't underestimate the value of Doing Nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-milne/don-t-underestimate-the-value-of-doing-nothing/) [A. A. Milne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-milne/) > [But it turns out that people who are grounded and secure don't change much under stress. That's what being grounded means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gruber/but-it-turns-out-that-people-who-are-grounded-and-secure-don-t-change/) [Michael Gruber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gruber/) > [Sometimes, counter-intuitively, it's easier to make a major change than a minor change. When a habit is changing very gradually, we may lose interest,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/sometimes-counter-intuitively-it-s-easier-to-make-a-major-change-than/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [The military profession, especially is the long-established great powers, is deeply pessimistic about the likelihood that people and countries will behave well under stress.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwynne-dyer/the-military-profession-especially-is-the-long-established-great/) [Gwynne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwynne-dyer/) > [You can't just say there is a god because the world is beautiful. You have to account for bone cancer in children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/you-can-t-just-say-there-is-a-god-because-the-world-is-beautiful-you/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [You can't just say there is a God because well, the world is beautiful. You have to account for bone cancer in children. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/you-can-t-just-say-there-is-a-god-because-well-the-world-is-beautiful/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) ## More by Walter Lippmann > [The emancipated woman has to fight something worse than the crusted prejudices of her uncles; she has to fight the bewilderment in her own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/the-emancipated-woman-has-to-fight-something-worse-than-the-crusted/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [Even God has been defended with nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/even-god-has-been-defended-with-nonsense/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [A better distribution of incomes would increase that efficiency by diverting a great fund of wealth from the useless to the useful members of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/a-better-distribution-of-incomes-would-increase-that-efficiency-by/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [There is but one bond of peace that is both permanent and enriching: The increasing knowledge of the world in which experiment occurs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/there-is-but-one-bond-of-peace-that-is-both-permanent-and-enriching/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [Where there is no danger of overt action there is rarely any interference with freedom. That is why there has so often been amazing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/where-there-is-no-danger-of-overt-action-there-is-rarely-any/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/the-final-test-of-a-leader-is-that-he-leaves-behind-him-in-other-men/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [The simple opposition between the people and big business has disappeared because the people themselves have become so deeply involved in big business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/the-simple-opposition-between-the-people-and-big-business-has/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [A free press is not a privilege but an organic necessity in a great society. ... A great society is simply a big and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/a-free-press-is-not-a-privilege-but-an-organic-necessity-in-a-great/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [“Since position and contact play so big a part in determining what can be seen, heard, read, and experienced, as well as what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/since-position-and-contact-play-so-big-a-part-in-determining-what-can/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [An alliance is like a chain. It is not made stronger by adding weak links to it. A great power like the United States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/an-alliance-is-like-a-chain-it-is-not-made-stronger-by-adding-weak/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [The chief element in the art of statesmanship under modern conditions is the ability to elucidate the confused and clamorous interests which converge upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/the-chief-element-in-the-art-of-statesmanship-under-modern-conditions/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [At the core of every moral code there is a picture of human nature, a map of the universe, and a version of history.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/at-the-core-of-every-moral-code-there-is-a-picture-of-human-nature-a/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [The tendency of the casual mind is to pick out or stumble upon a sample which supports or defies its prejudices, and then to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/the-tendency-of-the-casual-mind-is-to-pick-out-or-stumble-upon-a/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [There is only one purpose to which a whole society can be directed by a deliberate plan. That purpose is war, and there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/there-is-only-one-purpose-to-which-a-whole-society-can-be-directed-by/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [In a democracy, the opposition is not only tolerated as constitutional, but must be maintained because it is indispensable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/in-a-democracy-the-opposition-is-not-only-tolerated-as-constitutional/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) [Explore all 296 Walter Lippmann quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) ## More Barbarians quotes > [School curricula that ignore the arts produce highly educated Barbarians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/school-curricula-that-ignore-the-arts-produce-highly-educated/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [One simply cannot engage in barbarous action without becoming a barbarian, because one cannot defend human values by calculated and unprovoked violence without doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/one-simply-cannot-engage-in-barbarous-action-without-becoming-a/) [J. William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/) > [Fain would we remain barbarians, if our claim to civilization were to be based on the gruesome glory of war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fain-would-we-remain-barbarians-if-our-claim-to-civilization-were-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The idea that war should be conducted within a moral framework may seem like a quaint medieval practice, but as speech separates humans from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-idea-that-war-should-be-conducted-within-a-moral-framework-may/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Is Islam a religion of peace? I'm sure for some of the practitioners, but it's been hijacked by people who have an ideology that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/is-islam-a-religion-of-peace-i-m-sure-for-some-of-the-practitioners/) [Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/) > [If you go back to the Conan the Barbarian series, I really liked that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-braugher/if-you-go-back-to-the-conan-the-barbarian-series-i-really-liked-that/) [Andre Braugher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-braugher/) > [America's critics can be heard everywhere. It is too much in love with money - worshipping the god of the marketplace, the golden calf.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-saatchi/america-s-critics-can-be-heard-everywhere-it-is-too-much-in-love-with/) [Maurice Saatchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-saatchi/) > [I believe that every single human being is entitled to the protection of our laws, whether they can vote or not. Whether they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/i-believe-that-every-single-human-being-is-entitled-to-the-protection/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [The waiter brought fresh-baked bread and cheese, a bottle of sparkling water for Annabeth, and a Coke with ice for me (because I’m a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/the-waiter-brought-fresh-baked-bread-and-cheese-a-bottle-of-sparkling/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Why is she afraid?" he asked. "She's not Anjin-san. Just a little nervous. Please excuse her. 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It is a discouraging tale, for its evident moral is that civilization…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-durant/the-islamic-conquest-of-india-is-probably-the-bloodiest-story-in/) [Will Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-durant/) > [In this metallic age of barbarians, only a relentless cultivation of our ability to dream, to analyse and to captivate can prevent our personality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/in-this-metallic-age-of-barbarians-only-a-relentless-cultivation-of/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [The member of a culture ... purposely avoids the relationship of intimacy; he wants the object somehow depicted and fictionalized. ... He is embarrassed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-weaver/the-member-of-a-culture-purposely-avoids-the-relationship-of-intimacy/) [Richard M. Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-weaver/) > [“Politics is the moat, the walls, beyond which lie the barbarians. Fail to keep them at bay, and everything burns.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/politics-is-the-moat-the-walls-beyond-which-lie-the-barbarians-fail/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) [Browse all 280 Barbarians quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barbarians/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Men have been barbarians much longer than they have been civilized. 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