In Search of Civilization, a review
One of the strongest parts of the book is the emphasis he places on the “quality of relationships.” With the aforementioned “sharing” and “loyalty” Armstrong rightly asks about the quality of individual relationships and the impact on civilization. He compares the loyalty of religious believers to their faith to their loyalty to their civilization. Armstrong believes, and I agree, we share much more in common than one might, on first glance imagine. He says, “The rich achievements of any civilization are not in violent conflict, and in fact are on the same side in a clash between cultivated intelligence and barbarism. The irony is that such barbarism too often goes under the name of loyalty to a civilization.” Armstrong believes that a “true civilization is constituted by high-quality relationships to ideas, objects, and people.” In high quality relationships there is love and Armstrong sees civilization as “the life-support system for high-quality relationships.” Civilization sustains love; I like the implications.
The cultivation of high quality relationships tends to bring out the best in people. He goes on to discuss the paradox of freedom—as we in the West live in cultural democracies. He asserts that vulgarity is “triumphant” because of our democratic ideals; the majority rules. Freedom comes with great responsibilities, greater responsibilities than living in a coercive state. At the level of the individual we make choices, satisfy appetites. “The civilizing mission is to make what is genuinely good more readily available and to awaken an appetite for it.”
Part Two Civilization as Material Progress, Part Three: Civilization as the Art of Living, Part Four: Civilization as Spiritual Prosperity
References you may find of interest:
F.R. Leavis, The Great Tradition
C.P. Snow, a lecture “The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution”
Matthew Arnold, Culture and Anarchy A free online copy here.
Kenneth Clark’s BBC television series Civilization
Bernard Berenson, The Florentine Painters of the Renaissance (1896)
T.S. Elliot, an essay called “Tradition and the Individual Talent”
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Greg Linster:
June 18th, 2011 at 3:33 am
Nice succinct review Scott! I added it to my list on Shelfari. Also, yes, I like your idea of adding references of interest at the end.
J.ScottShipman:
June 18th, 2011 at 3:37 am
Hi Greg, Many thanks! I’ll be a better Shelfari bubba after I’m finished with my book and a few other nits:)) (like a new website!)
zen:
June 18th, 2011 at 4:28 am
Excellent review, Scott. Love of civilization, like an accurate perception of the costs of savagery, cuts against the grain of neo-Rousseau-ism. Sort of the default worldview of many ppl in the social sciences, despite it being unscientific mysticism.
Bryan Alexander:
June 18th, 2011 at 2:51 pm
More to read…Scott, did you read Morris’ Why the West Rules, for Now? Delightful book for all kinds of reasons. The title is somewhat misleading, since the book is really a total history of humankind (gulp) seen through an analytical prism that’s one part simulation game, one part Hari Seldon (Asimov, Foundation). Very engaging writer.
J.ScottShipman:
June 18th, 2011 at 2:56 pm
Hi Bryan, Many thanks for the recommendation. I’ve not read the Morris book, but will add to the list. Hi Zen, Thanks!
david ronfeldt:
June 18th, 2011 at 7:01 pm
Not only has “civilization” gotten a bum rap in academia and elsewhere; so have “evolution” and “progress” — a set of concepts I like that are wrapped up in each other. . Progress — “the idea that civilization has advanced in the past, is now advancing, and in all likelihood will continue to advance in the foreseeable future” — has been one of the grand themes of Western civilization and philosophy (Nisbet, 1994 p. xi; also, Bury, 1932). Its meaning has varied across the ages, but generally involves both material and spiritual advances as a result of human endeavors. For Americans, this means improvements in “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Science and technology are often viewed as the main engines of progress, but organizational innovation and intellectual creativity get credited as well, depending on the theorist. . Nowadays, progress is commonly measured in terms of quantitative increments of economic, social, and political growth — the stuff of national development experts. Surely this matters. But from a long time perspective, what matters more is the flowering of new civilizations. And accounting for this is no mean endeavor; large forces must be illuminated. Military capacity tends to be one of them. As British art historian Kenneth Clark once aptly noted (1969, p. 18), “All great civilizations, in their early stages, are based on success in war.” True, but spititual/religious energies matter as well. Thus, says another British historian, Christopher Dawson ([1929] 2001, pp. 3-4), “Every living culture must possess some spiritual dynamic, which provides the energy necessary for that sustained social effort which is civilization.” In any case, the point stands that, over the long term, civilization and progress are usually thought to proceed hand in hand. . But I’m starting to sound academic. So I’ll just end by saying thanks, Scott, for posting a useful interesting pertinent review. .
J.ScottShipman:
June 18th, 2011 at 7:20 pm
Hi David, Excellent comments! You are welcome, sir!
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I believe you will enjoy Armstrong, both of you come at civilization from similar tacks. Armstrong underscored the power of relationships in shaping civilization. At the end of the day how we treat each other is vital, with compassion and humility.