#on

I do not believe that civilizations have to die because civilization is not an organism. It is a product of wills. ↗

— Arnold J. Toynbee

#believe #civilization #civilizations #die #i

History not used is nothing, for all intellectual life is action, like practical life, and if you don't use the stuff well, it might as well be dead. ↗

— Arnold J. Toynbee

#dead #history #intellectual #intellectual life #life

What theatre started to look at much earlier than any other form was the internal operations of ordinary people, sometimes using mythic models in order to tell the story. ↗

— Pete Townshend

#earlier #form #internal #look #models

Apathy can be overcome by enthusiasm, and enthusiasm can only be aroused by two things: first, an ideal, with takes the imagination by storm, and second, a definite intelligible plan for carrying that ideal into practice. ↗

— Arnold J. Toynbee

#aroused #carrying #definite #enthusiasm #first

As human beings, we are endowed with freedom of choice, and we cannot shuffle off our responsibility upon the shoulders of God or nature. We must shoulder it ourselves. It is our responsibility. ↗

— Arnold J. Toynbee

#beings #cannot #choice #endowed #god

Happiness is a real, objective phenomenon, scientifically verifiable. That means people and whole societies can now be measured over time and compared accurately with one another. Causes and cures for unhappiness can be quantified. ↗

— Polly Toynbee

#another #causes #compared #cures #happiness

Inequality makes everyone unhappy, the poor most of all, and that is well within the remit of the state. More money gives less extra happiness the richer we get, yet we are addicted to earning and spending more every year. ↗

— Polly Toynbee

#earning #every #everyone #extra #get

Civilization is a movement and not a condition, a voyage and not a harbor. ↗

— Arnold J. Toynbee

#civilization #condition #harbor #movement #voyage

The human race's prospects of survival were considerably better when we were defenceless against tigers than they are today when we have become defenceless against ourselves. ↗

— Arnold J. Toynbee

#against #become #better #considerably #human

Sooner or later, man has always had to decide whether he worships his own power or the power of God. ↗

— Arnold J. Toynbee

#always #decide #god #had #his