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The life of thought endangers every civilization that it adorns. In the earlier stages of a nation’s history there is little thought; action flourishes; men are direct, uninhibited, frankly pugnacious and sexual. As civilization develops, as customs, institutions, laws, and morals more and more restrict the operation of natural impulses, action gives way to thought, achievement to imagination, directness to subtlety, expression to concealment, cruelty to sympathy, belief to doubt; the unity of character common to animals and primitive men passes away; behavior becomes fragmentary and hesitant, conscious and calculating; the willingness to fight subsides into a disposition to infinite argument. Few nations have been able to reach intellectual refinement and esthetic sensitivity without sacrificing so much in virility and unity that their wealth presents an irresistible temptation to impecunious barbarians.

Around every Rome hover the Gauls; around every Athens some Macedon.

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“The History of every major Galactic Civilization tends to pass through three distinct and recognizable phases, those of Survival, Inquiry and Sophistication, otherwise known as the How, Why, and Where phases. For instance, the first phase is characterized by the question 'How can we eat?' the second by the question 'Why do we eat?' and the third by the question 'Where shall we have lunch?”

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Struggle bears the greatest fruit in nature. There are millions of examples, two off the top of my head are tobacco and wine. Some of the best grapes and tobacco are grown in places that they shouldnt, the struggle brings out the best in them.

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Originally posted by Sportshooter:

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Struggle bears the greatest fruit in nature. There are millions of examples, two off the top of my head are tobacco and wine. Some of the best grapes and tobacco are grown in places that they shouldnt, the struggle brings out the best in them.

In other words, the strong oaks grow where the strong winds blow.