America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between (also attributed to George Bernard Shaw and Georges Clemenceau).
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Wilde (or others) claims America jumped from barbarism to decadence without a civilizing phase.
- In plain terms
- America went from savagery to excess without a middle stage.
- What can you take from it?
- Beware rapid cultural shifts without grounding.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What factors shape a nation's moral development?
- Is decadence always negative?
Another view
The statement oversimplifies complex history.
More from Oscar Wilde
Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.
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Permalink to quote #229 A true friend stabs you in the front
Permalink to quote #226
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