Accomplished Quote by Archibald MacLeish
“. . . what humanity most desperately needs is not the creation of new worlds but the recreation in terms of human comprehension of the world we have -- and it is for this reason that arts go on for generation to generation in spite of the fact that Phidias has already carved and Homer has already sung. The creation, we are informed, was accomplished in seven days with Sunday off, but the recreation will never be accomplished because it is always accomplished anew for each generation of living men.”
About This Quote
Source Poem: "The Youngest Generation" (published 1936) in the collection "The Wild Iris"
Humanity needs to reinterpret existing knowledge each generation, not just create new worlds; art endures by renewing understanding.
In simple terms: We must reinterpret what we know each generation.
Key Takeaway
Renew understanding continuously.
Themes
art
culture
knowledge
Mood
inspirational
thoughtful
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- education
- creative practice
- cultural preservation
Key Concepts
generational renewal
interpretation
Questions to Reflect On
- How does each generation reshape old ideas?
- What role does art play in renewing perception?
A Different Perspective
New creations can become outdated; reinterpretation may be limited by existing frameworks.
![“[U]nless oppressed groups stick together, and on alliances of self interest rather than do-goodism; nothing can be accomplished in the long run to dismantle the apparatus of oppression.” quote by Shulamith Firestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d7b/shulamith-firestone-12980_accomplished_u-nless-oppressed-groups-stick-together_5485.jpg)
