“With the opening of the second decade of the twentieth century it seemed that the stage was set for the last act in an unquestioned evolutionary drama.” LastsCenturyStageDramaDecadesOpeningTwentieth Century Book:TOWARDS THE GREAT PEACE Source: TOWARDS THE GREAT PEACE
“The human species does not necessarily move in stages from progress to progress ... history and civilization do not advance in tandem. From the stagnation of Medieval Europe to the decline and chaos in recent times on the mainland of Asia and to the catastrophes of two world wars in the twentieth century, the methods of killing people became increasingly sophisticated. Scientific and technological progress certainly does not imply that humankind as a result becomes more civilized.” PeopleWorldHumansDoeTwoWarMovingResultsProgressCenturyStageCivilizationEuropeMethodSpeciesChaosKillingWar Of The WorldsCivilizedDeclineHumankindWorld War ISophisticatedTechnologicalCatastropheAsiaTwentieth CenturyMedievalStagnationHuman SpeciesTwo WorldsTechnological ProgressTandemMedieval Europe Author:Gao Xingjian
“I'm fascinated by the period that goes from the Industrial Revolution to right after World War II. There's something about that period that's epic and tragic. There's a point after the industrial period where it seems like humanity's finally going to make it right. There were advances in medicine and technology and education. People are going to be able to live longer lives; literacy is starting to spread. It seemed like finally, after centuries of toiling and misery, that humanity was going to get to a better stage. And then what happens is precisely the contrary. Humanity betrays itself.” PeopleWorldWarSeemsHappensAbleHumanityTechnologyCenturyStageRevolutionPeriodsMedicineMiseryStartingSpreadContraryWar Of The WorldsTragicFascinatedWorld War IiBetrayWorld War IEpicLiteracyIndustrial RevolutionToilingTechnology And EducationLonger Life Author:Carlos Ruiz Zafon
“My general impression about people like Steve Gould and Carl Sagan and so on is that when they disappear as individuals and are no longer appearing on the stage and they are no longer writing, that their lifetime of acknowledgement by the general reading public is not very long... There were many people in the 19th century who were equally famous people who gave working man's lectures, supporters of Darwin, we as scholars know their names but the general public never heard of them.” PeopleKnowsMenWritingLongReadingNamesIndividualHeardCenturyStageLifetimeDisappearImpressionScholarSupporterLectures19th CenturyAppearingAcknowledgementGeneral PublicWorking ManSagan Author:Richard Lewontin
“We are in the final stages of egoic madness. Almost the whole world is fighting each other. We witnessed the final stages of egoic madness in the 20th century, and even now it still is playing itself out. It has not quite come to an end yet.” WorldStillsEndsWholeFightingCenturyStageMadnessFinalsWhole World20th CenturyFighting Each Other Author:Eckhart Tolle
“The literary wiseacres prognosticate in many languages, as they have throughout so many centuries, setting the stage for new hautmonde in letters and making up the public's mind.” MindLanguageCenturyStageCriticismLettersSettingSettingsMaking UpLiterary Criticism Author:Fannie Hurst
“If you want to see what stage comedians did to get laffs a century ago, watch the 1910 'Wizard of Oz.' I hope you have a high tolerance for pratfalls.” IfsWantWatchesCenturyStageToleranceComedianWizards Book:Ancient Rockets: Treasures and Train Wrecks of the Silent Screen Source: Ancient Rockets: Treasures and Train Wrecks of the Silent Screen