[...] Technology has tended to devaluate the traditional…
![“[...] Technology has tended to devaluate the traditional vision-inducing materials. The illumination of a city, for example, was once a rare event, reserved for victories and national holidays, for the canonization of saints and the crowning of kings. Now it occurs nightly and celebrates the…” quote by Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/a32/aldous-huxley-97_celebrate_technology-has-tended-to-devaluate-the-t_1768237.jpg)
“[...] Technology has tended to devaluate the traditional vision-inducing materials. The illumination of a city, for example, was once a rare event, reserved for victories and national holidays, for the canonization of saints and the crowning of kings. Now it occurs nightly and celebrates the virtues of gin, cigarettes and toothpaste.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The passage laments how modern technology has turned once sacred, rare illuminations into commonplace celebrations of trivial consumer goods.
In simple terms: Technology cheapens once sacred spectacles.
Key Takeaway
Value meaningful symbols over consumer hype.
Themes
technology
consumerism
culture
celebration
loss of sacred
Mood
critical
reflective
analytical
Type
cultural
sociological
When to use this quote
- urban planning
- advertising
- public festivals
- media studies
Key Concepts
Materialism
secularization
media influence
Questions to Reflect On
- How does technology change cultural meaning?
- What can we reclaim as sacred?
A Different Perspective
It may overgeneralize historical lighting practices.