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About this quote

What does it mean?
Distillation is seen as the beginning of civilization.
In plain terms
Civilization started with the process of distillation.
What can you take from it?
Simple processes can mark major historical shifts.

Where it applies

  • history
  • science
  • progress

Putting it to work

  • study history
  • understand innovation
  • trace origins

Questions to consider

  • Why distillation?
  • How does science start civilization?

Another view

Civilization has many origins beyond distillation.

More from William Faulkner

  1. To understand the world, you must first understand a place like Mississippi.

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  2. Kill your darlings.

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  3. To live anywhere in the world today and be against equality because of race or color is like living in Alaska and being against snow.

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