Civilization and Barbarism

Civilization brings religion, science, philosophy, art, and a social order that allows individuals the freedom, security and leisure to explore ideas and means of self-expression. Barbarism means violence, triviality, lies --- all the base values that pervert and eventually destroy the work of civilization.

But because civilization must incorporate certain elements of barbarism to maintain and defend itself --- armies, police, the state --- it is eventually overrun by these and finds itself more and more motivated by the values of barbarism, rather than its own values.

--- From In Search of P. D. Ouspensky
The Genius in the Shadow of Gurdjieff Gary Lachman
©2004 Quest Books