“As it is with humanity’s ascent, so it is with its decline. Declining peoples first lose their sense of moderation. They strive for isolated particulars, they fling themselves shortsightedly on narrow and trifling things, they raise the conditional above the universal; then they pursue pleasure and sensuality, they seek to gratify their hatred and envy of their neighbor, their art depicts what is one-sided what is valid from one perspective only” HumanityDeclineModeration Author:Adalbert Stifter