I think that could go back to the time when people had to…
““I think that could go back to the time when people had to live in small groups of relatives—maybe fifty or a hundred people at the most. And evolution or God or whatever arranged things genetically, to keep the little families going, to cheer them up, so that they could all have somebody to tell stories around the campfire at night, and somebody else to paint pictures on the walls of the caves, and somebody else who wasn’t afraid of anything and so on. That’s what I think. And of course a scheme like that doesn’t make sense anymore, because simply moderate giftedness has been made worthless by the printing press and radio and television and satellites and all that. A moderately gifted person who would have been a community treasure a thousand years ago has to give up, has to go into some other line of work, since modern communications put him or her into daily competition with nothing but world’s champions.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Early human groups fostered storytelling and art, but modern media diminish the role of modest talents.
In simple terms: Past societies valued storytellers; modern media marginalize them.
Key Takeaway
Support diverse voices in today’s media landscape.
Themes
storytelling
media
evolution
talent
Mood
nostalgic
critical
Type
philosophical
reflective
When to use this quote
- community workshops
- indie publishing
- educational curricula
- media literacy programs
Key Concepts
cultural anthropology
communication theory
digital disruption
Questions to Reflect On
- How can small talents thrive today?
- What role does community play in modern storytelling?
A Different Perspective
Technology can also amplify niche voices.