Play is older than culture, for culture, however inadequately defined, always presupposes human society, and animals have not waited for man to teach them their playing. Johan Huizinga More Quotes by Johan Huizinga More Quotes From Johan Huizinga The spirit of playful competition is, as a social impulse, older than culture itself and pervades all life like a veritable ferment. Ritual grew up in sacred play; poetry was born in play and nourished on play; music and dancing were pure play....We have to conclude, therefore, that civilization is, in its earliest phases, played. It does not come from play...it arises in and as play, and never leaves it. Johan Huizinga dancing play civilization Play: It is an an activity which proceeds within certain limits of time and space, in a visible order, according to rules freely accepted, and outside the sphere of necessity or material utility. The play-mood is one of rapture and enthusiasm, and is sacred or festive in accordance with the occasion. A feeling of exaltation and tension accompanies the action. Johan Huizinga space play order Culture arises and unfolds in and as play... culture itself bears the character of play. Johan Huizinga play character culture Every age yearns for a more beautiful world. The deeper the desperation and the depression about the confusing present, the more intense that yearning. Johan Huizinga confusing depression beautiful You can deny, if you like, nearly all abstractions: justice, beauty, truth, goodness, mind, God. You can deny seriousness, but not play. Johan Huizinga mind play justice Play is a uniquely adaptive act, not subordinate to some other adaptive act, but with a special function of its own in human experience. Johan Huizinga playing-games function special If we are to preserve culture we must continue to create it. Johan Huizinga preserves ifs culture Educators are aware that they can reach the youth only by making use of gang spirit and guiding it, not by working against it. Johan Huizinga youth use spirit If the Americans, in addition to the eagle and the Stars and Stripes and the more unofficial symbols of bison, moose and Indian, should ever need another emblem, one which is friendly and pleasant, then I think they should choose the grapefruit. Or rather the half grapefruit, for this fruit only comes in halves, I believe. Practically speaking, it is always yellow, always just as fresh and well served. And it always comes at the same, still hopeful hour of the morning. Johan Huizinga stars morning believe History is the interpretation of the significance that the past has for us. Johan Huizinga interpretation history past Science, unguided by a higher abstract principle, freely hands over its secrets to a vastly developed and commercially inspired technology, and the latter, even less restrained by a supreme culture saving principle, with the means of science creates all the instruments of power demanded from it by the organization of Might. Johan Huizinga technology science mean The eternal gulf between being and idea can only be bridged by the rainbow of imagination. Johan Huizinga rainbow imagination ideas Culture requires in the first place a certain balance of material and spiritual values. Johan Huizinga balance spiritual culture The modern city hardly knows a pure darkness or true silence anymore, nor does it know the effect of a single small light or that of a lonely distant shout. Johan Huizinga lonely light cities If, then, this civilization is to be saved, if it is not to be submerged by centuries of barbarism, but to secure the treasures ofits inheritance on new and more stable foundations, there is indeed need for those now living fully to realize how far the decay has already progressed. Johan Huizinga war civilization history Quite apart from any conscious program, the great cultural historians have always been historical morphologists: seekers after theforms of life, thought, custom, knowledge, art. Johan Huizinga historical history art Life is made too easy. Mankind's moral fibre is giving way under the softening influence of luxury. Johan Huizinga luxury giving way Culture must have its ultimate aim in the metaphysical or it will cease to be culture. Johan Huizinga metaphysical aim culture All seemingly profound thinking which passes for realism, because it conveniently does away with all troublesome principles, has agreat attraction for the adolescent mind. Johan Huizinga faith profound thinking History can predict nothing except that great changes in human relationships will never come about in the form in which they have been anticipated. Johan Huizinga great-change form humans
