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Arnold J. Toynbee

11 quotes

Arnold J. Toynbee is one of those voices you encounter and immediately want to hear more from. The range of their thinking — from History to Work — speaks to an intellectual restlessness that shows in every quote. Discover 13 of Arnold J. Toynbee's most memorable quotes, ranging across History, Work, Society, Religion, and Power. A favorite of many readers: "The supreme accomplishment is to blur the line between work and play."

“Civilization is a movement and not a condition, a voyage and not a harbor.”

— Arnold J. Toynbee

History

All Quotes by Arnold J. Toynbee

“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

Freedom

“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

“The equation of religion with belief is rather recent.”

— Arnold J. Toynbee

Religion

“To be able to fill leisure intelligently is the last product of civilization.”

— Arnold J. Toynbee

Intelligence

“History is a vision of God's creation on the move.”

— Arnold J. Toynbee

History

“A life which does not go into action is a failure.”

— Arnold J. Toynbee

Failure

“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

“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

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

— Arnold J. Toynbee

God

“The supreme accomplishment is to blur the line between work and play.”

— Arnold J. Toynbee

Work

“Civilization is a movement and not a condition, a voyage and not a harbor.”

— Arnold J. Toynbee

History