Arnold J. Toynbee Quotes


Civilizations die from suicide, not by murder. Arnold J. Toynbee Civilization 138
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 Nature 104
The extinction of race consciousness as between Muslims is one of the outstanding achievements of Islam, and in the contemporary world there is, as it happens, a crying need for the propagation of this Islamic virtue. Arnold J. Toynbee Achievements 92
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 84
It is a paradoxical but profoundly true and important principle of life that the most likely way to reach a goal is to be aiming not at that goal itself but at some more ambitious goal beyond it. Arnold J. Toynbee Goals 84
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 Imagination 84
America is a large friendly dog in a small room. Every time it wags its tail it knocks over a chair. Arnold J. Toynbee America 82
The immense cities lie basking on the beaches of the continent like whales that have taken to the land. Arnold J. Toynbee City 80
We have been God-like in our planned breeding of our domesticated plants and animals, but we have been rabbit-like in our unplanned breeding of ourselves. Arnold J. Toynbee Birth 78
History is a vision of God's creation on the move. Arnold J. Toynbee History 71
Civilization is a movement and not a condition, a voyage and not a harbor. Arnold J. Toynbee History 69
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 Society 69
Of the twenty-two civilizations that have appeared in history, nineteen of them collapsed when they reached the moral state the United States is in now. Arnold J. Toynbee History 58
America is a large, friendly dog in a very small room. Every time it wags its tail it knocks over a chair. Arnold J. Toynbee America 56
A life which does not go into action is a failure. Arnold J. Toynbee Failure 54
Sooner or later, man has always had to decide whether he worships his own power or the power of God. Arnold J. Toynbee Power 51
The supreme accomplishment is to blur the line between work and play. Arnold J. Toynbee Work 51
I can not think of any circumstances in which advertising would not be an evil. Arnold J. Toynbee Advertising 43
To be able to fill leisure intelligently is the last product of civilization. Arnold J. Toynbee Intelligence 26
The equation of religion with belief is rather recent. Arnold J. Toynbee Religion 24

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Arnold J. Toynbee Quotes

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