Quotation of the Week 5
“Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe”
(H.G. Wells, Outline of History, 1920)
Love of History | Quotation of the Week 5
Dr. Constantina Katsari is a comparative historian that specialises on ancient and modern history. She looks at current events with a critical eye and brings forward direct comparisons with similar historical events.
Wells was in his mid 50s then in 1920 – could I be taken to task for presuming his comment to be the kind of pessimism that overtakes us with age? Do we all reach a stage when we see catastrophes looming because no-one seems to learn from history’s mistakes? In the 60s my friends and I were going to change the world for the better – but it was the future of young people I guess we were really interested in. Middle age brings either world weariness or acceptance – hm, think I’d better stop as I’m just making myself miserable!
Wells was too optimistic about education.