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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."

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

— Arnold J. Toynbee

Intelligence

All Quotes by Arnold J. Toynbee

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

— Arnold J. Toynbee

Religion

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

— Arnold J. Toynbee

Work

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

— Arnold J. Toynbee

Failure

“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

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

— Arnold J. Toynbee

History

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

— Arnold J. Toynbee

Intelligence

“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

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

— Arnold J. Toynbee

History

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

— Arnold J. Toynbee

God