“If you read the writings of anthropologists, there are studies about how civilizations break down; and we are certainly following that pattern. Unfortunately, there’s nothing within human nature to argue that we won’t go down the ways other civilizations have gone down. The difference is now, of course, that when we go down, the whole planet is going to go with us.”

Goodnight Saigon
Song lyrics, The Nylon Curtain (1982)

Civilization on Trial (1948), chapter 4, p. 56.

Account of 8 October 1918.
Diary of Alvin York
Context: The major suggested we go down a gully, but I knew that was the wrong way. And I told him we were not going down any gully. We were going straight through the German front line trenches back to the American lines.
It was their second line that I had captured. We sure did get a long way behind the German trenches! And so I marched them straight at that old German front line trench. And some more machine guns swung around and began to spit at us. I told the major to blow his whistle or I would take off his head and theirs too. So he blew his whistle and they all surrendered — all except one. I made the major order him to surrender twice. But he wouldn't. And I had to touch him off. I hated to do it. But I couldn't afford to take any chances and so I had to let him have it.

Source: Drenai series, The King Beyond the Gate, Ch. 24
Context: Come back and stand with us, lad. We will all go down together— that's what makes us who we are.

Wimps Versus Barbarians http://townhall.com/columnists/thomassowell/2013/05/21/wimps-versus-barbarians-n1601497/page/full, May 21, 2013 <br class="br">2010s

Source: My Life on the Road

Mental and Physical Pabulum
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler (1912), Part VI - Mind and Matter