The poison was brewed in these West lands but it has spat…
“The poison was brewed in these West lands but it has spat itself everywhere by now. However far you went you would find the machines, the crowded cities, the empty thrones, the false writings, the barren beds: men maddened with false promises and soured with true miseries, worshipping the iron works of their own hands, cut off from Earth their Mother and from the Father in Heaven. You might go East so far the East became West and you returned to Britain across the great Ocean, but even so you would not have come out anywhere into the light. The shadow of one dark wing is over all Tellus.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Dark Side of Modernity, unpublished, 1950s
Industrial progress alienates humanity, creating false promises and spiritual emptiness.
In simple terms: Modernity can disconnect us from nature and spirit.
Key Takeaway
Seek balance beyond materialism.
Themes
industrialization
alienation
spirituality
Mood
cautionary
somber
Type
critical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- urban planning
- environmental activism
- personal spirituality
Key Concepts
environmentalism
critique of progress
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “iron works” symbolize for you?
- How can we reconnect with nature?
A Different Perspective
The critique may overlook benefits of technology.