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In England we have come to rely upon a comfortable…

“In England we have come to rely upon a comfortable time-lag of fifty years or a century intervening between the perception that something ought to be done and a serious attempt to do it.” quote by H. G. Wells
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“In England we have come to rely upon a comfortable time-lag of fifty years or a century intervening between the perception that something ought to be done and a serious attempt to do it.”

H. G. Wells

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Society often delays action for decades, waiting for a comfortable gap between recognizing a problem and attempting to solve it.

In simple terms: People postpone solving problems for long periods.

Key Takeaway

Act promptly when issues are identified.

Themes

procrastination policy change

Mood

critical reflective

Type

analytical political

When to use this quote

  • government
  • environment
  • technology

Key Concepts

institutional inertia future planning

Questions to Reflect On

  • What drives long‑term delays?
  • How can we shorten the action gap?
A Different Perspective

May ignore urgent crises that need immediate response.

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