Enamored by these big, big buildings, that’s all. “Oh, they are so advanced.” And naturally, the common man comes to a European or American city, he says, “Oh, Americans are so rich.” “Rich” means they have piled up stones and bricks, that’s all. This is their richness. What is there in the richness here? But people are common men. They think that this piling of bricks and stone is like real civilization. What do you think? Is that real civilization? Piling of bricks and stones? Heaps of stones and bricks? That is emblem of civilization?

Srila Prabhupada; Conversation, 31 May 1974