We are condemned to be modern. We can’t escape the facts…
““We are condemned to be modern. We can’t escape the facts of our history or of living in an age dominated by instrumental rationality, even as we look for ways out of it... But it has become our historic responsibility to acknowledge the continuing importance of myth, at a level beyond science, in realizing a more organic, holistic relation to the world. A future social ecology would transcend both anti-Enlightenment reaction and [a] reified Enlightenment counter-reaction, which remain only fragmented polarities within bourgeois modernity.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Modernity is trapped by rationality, but myth offers a holistic way to reconnect with the world, transcending polarized Enlightenment debates.
In simple terms: Myth helps balance rational modern life.
Key Takeaway
Embrace mythic thinking alongside science.
Themes
myth
holism
modernity
responsibility
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- cultural analysis
- philosophical discourse
- public policy
- educational curricula
Key Concepts
instrumental rationality
organic relation
social ecology
Questions to Reflect On
- How can myth be used responsibly?
- What balances can myth restore?
A Different Perspective
Myth can be co‑opted for propaganda, diluting its depth.