--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A society coming apart at top and bottom…" description: "\"“A society coming apart at top and bottom, or passing over into another form, contains just as many possibilities for revelation as a society running a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d14/william-barrett-14440_beneath-the-surface_a-society-coming-apart-at-top-and-bottom_1989385.png" --- # A society coming apart at top and bottom, or passing over… ![“A society coming apart at top and bottom, or passing over into another form, contains just as many possibilities for revelation as a society running along smoothly in its own rut. The individual is thrust out of the sheltered nest that society has provided. He can no longer hide his nakedness by…” quote by William Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d14/william-barrett-14440_beneath-the-surface_a-society-coming-apart-at-top-and-bottom_1989385.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d14/william-barrett-14440_beneath-the-surface_a-society-coming-apart-at-top-and-bottom_1989385.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d14/william-barrett-14440_beneath-the-surface_a-society-coming-apart-at-top-and-bottom_1989385.png) > ““A society coming apart at top and bottom, or passing over into another form, contains just as many possibilities for revelation as a society running along smoothly in its own rut. The individual is thrust out of the sheltered nest that society has provided. He can no longer hide his nakedness by the old disguises. he learns how much of what he has taken for granted was by its own nature neither eternal nor necessary but thoroughly temporal and contingent. He learns that the solitude of the self is an irreducible dimension of human life no matter how completely that self had seemed to be contained in its social milieu. In the end, he sees each man as solitary and unsheltered before his own death. Admittedly, these are painful truths, but the most basic things are always learned with pain, since our inertia and complacent love of comfort prevent us from learning them until they are forced upon us. It appears that man is willing to learn about himself only after some disaster; after war, economic crisis, and political upheaval have taught him how flimsy is that human world in which he thought himself so securely grounded. What he learns has always been there, lying concealed beneath the surface of even the best-functioning societies; it is no less true for having come out of a period of chaos and disaster. But so long as man does not have to face up to such a truth, he will not do so.”” [William Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barrett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Societal collapse reveals hidden truths about individual solitude and the impermanence of social structures. **In simple terms:** Crisis forces self‑realization and acceptance of life's temporality. Key Takeaway Embrace discomfort to discover deeper truths. Themes existentialism societal change self‑knowledge Mood reflective somber Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal crisis - economic downturn - war aftermath Key Concepts ontological humility social critique human fragility Questions to Reflect On - What personal assumptions are challenged by societal upheaval? - How can individuals prepare for inevitable solitude? A Different Perspective Insights may be too abstract for practical application. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beneath the surface](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beneath-the-surface/) [Confrontation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confrontation/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Economic crisis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic-crisis/) [Human life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-life/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Meaninglessness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaninglessness/) [Nakedness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nakedness/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Revelation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revelation/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) [Solitary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solitary/) [Solitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solitude/) [System](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/system/) [Taken for granted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taken-for-granted/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Willing to learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/willing-to-learn/) ## Related quotes > [The man who fears to be alone will never be anything but lonely, no matter how much he may surround himself with people. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-man-who-fears-to-be-alone-will-never-be-anything-but-lonely-no/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“The man who fears to be alone will never be anything but lonely, no matter how much he may surround himself with people. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/the-man-who-fears-to-be-alone-will-never-be-anything-but-lonely-no-2/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“...books everywhere piled up in heaps, the rare companions of a solitude not self-imposed but sought.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-durrell/books-everywhere-piled-up-in-heaps-the-rare-companions-of-a-solitude/) [Lawrence Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-durrell/) > [Look, if I were alone in the world, I would have the right to choose despair, solitude and self-fulfillment. But I am not alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/look-if-i-were-alone-in-the-world-i-would-have-the-right-to-choose/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Women need real moments of solitude and self reflection to balance out how much of ourselves we give away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-de-angelis/women-need-real-moments-of-solitude-and-self-reflection-to-balance/) [Barbara De Angelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-de-angelis/) > [Self Esteem::"It is very easy in the world to live by the opinion of the world. It is very easy in solitude to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/self-esteem-it-is-very-easy-in-the-world-to-live-by-the-opinion-of/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“We are familiar with people who seek out solitude: penitents, failures, saints, or prophets. They retreat to deserts, preferably, where they live on locusts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-s-skind/we-are-familiar-with-people-who-seek-out-solitude-penitents-failures/) [Patrick Suskind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-s-skind/) > [There is a solitude, which each and every one of us has always carried with him, more inaccessible than the ice-cold mountains, more profound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-cady-stanton/there-is-a-solitude-which-each-and-every-one-of-us-has-always-carried/) [Elizabeth Cady Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-cady-stanton/) > [“Man is a solitary animal condemned to live in herds.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-g-roe/man-is-a-solitary-animal-condemned-to-live-in-herds/) Peter G. Roe > [Life is for each man a solitary cell whose walls are mirrors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-o-neill/life-is-for-each-man-a-solitary-cell-whose-walls-are-mirrors/) [Eugene O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-o-neill/) > [“In such condition, there is no place for Industry; because the fruit thereof is uncertain; and consequently no Culture of the Earth; no Navigation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/in-such-condition-there-is-no-place-for-industry-because-the-fruit/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [The task of the solitary man is to be even more solitary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-m-cioran/the-task-of-the-solitary-man-is-to-be-even-more-solitary/) [Emile M. Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-m-cioran/) > [The fact that the man is not alone, that he is solitary to the entire universe even through vanity it means a major thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sorin-cerin/the-fact-that-the-man-is-not-alone-that-he-is-solitary-to-the-entire/) [Sorin Cerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sorin-cerin/) > [“It didn’t take much to turn a man solitary-being the new guy too often, being controversial now and then, a couple of unsuccessful attempts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robyn-carr/it-didn-t-take-much-to-turn-a-man-solitary-being-the-new-guy-too/) [Robyn Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robyn-carr/) > [“A man becomes a solitary at the moment when, no matter what may be his external surroundings, he is suddenly aware of his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/a-man-becomes-a-solitary-at-the-moment-when-no-matter-what-may-be-his/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) ## More by William Barrett > [“David Hume, in a moment of acute skepticism, felt panicky in the solitude of his study and had to go out and join his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barrett/david-hume-in-a-moment-of-acute-skepticism-felt-panicky-in-the/) [William Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barrett/) > [We must be free for the truth; and conversely, to be able to be open toward the truth may be our deepest freedom as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barrett/we-must-be-free-for-the-truth-and-conversely-to-be-able-to-be-open/) [William Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barrett/) > [Anxiety is not fear, being afraid of this or that definite object, but the uncanny feeling of being afraid of nothing at all. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barrett/anxiety-is-not-fear-being-afraid-of-this-or-that-definite-object-but/) [William Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barrett/) > [“When faith is full, it dares to express its anger, for faith is the openness of the whole man toward his God, and therefore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barrett/when-faith-is-full-it-dares-to-express-its-anger-for-faith-is-the/) [William Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barrett/) > [Much like tobacco companies want to keep smokers dependent on their deadly product, the oil industry wants to keep California dependent on oil –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barrett/much-like-tobacco-companies-want-to-keep-smokers-dependent-on-their/) [William Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barrett/) > [“The more severely he struggles to hold on to the primal face-to-face relation with God, the more tenuous this becomes, until in the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barrett/the-more-severely-he-struggles-to-hold-on-to-the-primal-face-to-face/) [William Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barrett/) > [“If science could comprehend all phenomena so that eventually in a thoroughly rational society human beings became as predictable as cogs in a machine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barrett/if-science-could-comprehend-all-phenomena-so-that-eventually-in-a/) [William Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barrett/) > [“To be rational is not the same as to be reasonable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barrett/to-be-rational-is-not-the-same-as-to-be-reasonable/) [William Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barrett/) > [“Certainly, we can no longer look upon the canon of Western art - Greco-Roman as revived, extended, and graced by the Renaissance - as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barrett/certainly-we-can-no-longer-look-upon-the-canon-of-western-art-greco/) [William Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barrett/) > [Hunger is not the worst feature of unemployment; idleness is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barrett/hunger-is-not-the-worst-feature-of-unemployment-idleness-is/) [William Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barrett/) > [“We cannot define ourselves without negating the alternatives that we do not become.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barrett/we-cannot-define-ourselves-without-negating-the-alternatives-that-we/) [William Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barrett/) > [“We have to be who we are, however we may seek eventually to transform ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barrett/we-have-to-be-who-we-are-however-we-may-seek-eventually-to-transform/) [William Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barrett/) > [The bond that attaches us to the life outside ourselves is the same bond that holds us to our own life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barrett/the-bond-that-attaches-us-to-the-life-outside-ourselves-is-the-same/) [William Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barrett/) > [“The Greek word for “I know,” oida, is the perfect of the verb “to see” and means “I have seen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barrett/the-greek-word-for-i-know-oida-is-the-perfect-of-the-verb-to-see-and/) [William Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barrett/) > [“To the other person, who looks at me from the outside, I seem an object, a thing; my subjectivity with its inner freedom escapes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barrett/to-the-other-person-who-looks-at-me-from-the-outside-i-seem-an-object/) [William Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barrett/) [Explore all 46 William Barrett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barrett/) ## More Beneath the surface quotes > [“So you intend to go through life never loving anyone? Just … things?” “No. I’m looking for something more.” “More than love?” “Yes.” “Is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-ahdieh/so-you-intend-to-go-through-life-never-loving-anyone-just-things-no-i/) [Renee Ahdieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-ahdieh/) > [We are true to our name. We're somewhat beneath the surface, and I think well always be to a certain extent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-thought/we-are-true-to-our-name-we-re-somewhat-beneath-the-surface-and-i/) [Black Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-thought/) > [Stir not murky waters if you know not the depth or the creatures that dwell beneath the surface.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-davis/stir-not-murky-waters-if-you-know-not-the-depth-or-the-creatures-that/) [Bryan Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-davis/) > [“The burning glow of fire basked him in a warm light. I feared to look at him, to study him again after the train,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-z-ryans/the-burning-glow-of-fire-basked-him-in-a-warm-light-i-feared-to-look/) [Rae Z. Ryans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-z-ryans/) > [Whether it is photography, assemblage art or filmmaking, my work is to see beneath the surface.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christophe-agou/whether-it-is-photography-assemblage-art-or-filmmaking-my-work-is-to/) [Christophe Agou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christophe-agou/) > [I'm of that generation of Jews still deeply influenced by the Holocaust. Certainly the notion that the state power to kill can be subject…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-turow/i-m-of-that-generation-of-jews-still-deeply-influenced-by-the/) [Scott Turow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-turow/) > [I prefer neurotic people. I like to hear rumblings beneath the surface.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/i-prefer-neurotic-people-i-like-to-hear-rumblings-beneath-the-surface/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [“Yes, the hermitage is underground--miles beneath the surface of Antarctica. And yes, Ike refers to it as unten--literally 'under' or 'below.' But, hello, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leyner/yes-the-hermitage-is-underground-miles-beneath-the-surface-of/) [Mark Leyner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leyner/) > [All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril. Those who read the symbol…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/all-art-is-at-once-surface-and-symbol-those-who-go-beneath-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Her father...was all front to back in his transparency: what you saw was what there was, there was nothing clandestine in his character, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-wiggins/her-father-was-all-front-to-back-in-his-transparency-what-you-saw-was/) [Marianne Wiggins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-wiggins/) > [The past lies beneath the surface, intransigent truth. Remembered or not, what we say and do remains, always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-hall/the-past-lies-beneath-the-surface-intransigent-truth-remembered-or/) [Meredith Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-hall/) > [“From birth, man carries the weight of gravity on his shoulders. He is bolted to the Earth. But man has only to sink beneath…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaques-barzun-cousteau/from-birth-man-carries-the-weight-of-gravity-on-his-shoulders-he-is/) Jaques Barzun Cousteau > [Be willing to face life squarely and get down beneath the surface of life where the verities and realities are to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peace-pilgrim/be-willing-to-face-life-squarely-and-get-down-beneath-the-surface-of/) [Peace Pilgrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peace-pilgrim/) > [It's like, imagine the ripples on top of an ocean. And I'm in a rowboat, reactively dealing with the waves and water coming into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-oz/it-s-like-imagine-the-ripples-on-top-of-an-ocean-and-i-m-in-a-rowboat/) [Mehmet Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-oz/) > [“But not all its avenues were paved with marble nor all its denizens dwellers in palaces. Men and women of a dozen races huddled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-duncan/but-not-all-its-avenues-were-paved-with-marble-nor-all-its-denizens/) [Dave Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-duncan/) [Browse all 295 Beneath the surface quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beneath-the-surface/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A society coming apart at top and bottom, or passing over into another form, contains just as many possibilities for revelation as a society running along smoothly in its own rut. The individual is thrust out of the sheltered nest that society has provided. He can no longer hide his nakedness by the old disguises. he learns how much of what he has taken for granted was by its own nature neither eternal nor necessary but thoroughly temporal and contingent. He learns that the solitude of the self is an irreducible dimension of human life no matter how completely that self had seemed to be contained in its social milieu. In the end, he sees each man as solitary and unsheltered before his own death. Admittedly, these are painful truths, but the most basic things are always learned with pain, since our inertia and complacent love of comfort prevent us from learning them until they are forced upon us. It appears that man is willing to learn about himself only after some disaster; after war, economic crisis, and political upheaval have taught him how flimsy is that human world in which he thought himself so securely grounded. What he learns has always been there, lying concealed beneath the surface of even the best-functioning societies; it is no less true for having come out of a period of chaos and disaster. 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