--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our forefathers did without sugar until…" description: "\"Our forefathers did without sugar until the 13th century, without coal fires until the 14th, without buttered bread until the 16th, without tea or soup..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdc/elias-canetti-3574_bread_our-forefathers-did-without-sugar-until_2778629.jpg" --- # Our forefathers did without sugar until the 13th century… ![“Our forefathers did without sugar until the 13th century, without coal fires until the 14th, without buttered bread until the 16th, without tea or soup until the 17th, without gas, matches or electricity until the 20th” quote by Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdc/elias-canetti-3574_bread_our-forefathers-did-without-sugar-until_2778629.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdc/elias-canetti-3574_bread_our-forefathers-did-without-sugar-until_2778629.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdc/elias-canetti-3574_bread_our-forefathers-did-without-sugar-until_2778629.jpg) > “Our forefathers did without sugar until the 13th century, without coal fires until the 14th, without buttered bread until the 16th, without tea or soup until the 17th, without gas, matches or electricity until the 20th” [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human progress often relies on simple comforts that later become essential. **In simple terms:** We take modern comforts for granted. Key Takeaway Appreciate current conveniences. Themes history technology comfort progress Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - daily life - historical comparison - technology adoption Key Concepts industrial revolution social adaptation Questions to Reflect On - Which modern convenience would you miss most? - How do comforts shape cultural identity? A Different Perspective Historical context varies; not all societies follow same timeline. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [13Th Century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/13th-century-2615408/) [Bread](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bread/) [Did Sugar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did-sugar-3293018/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Forefathers Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forefathers-did-430028/) [Sugar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sugar/) ## Related quotes > [“I’d like to play a game of Marco Polo—in the 13th century.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-d-like-to-play-a-game-of-marco-polo-in-the-13th-century/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [The jury system is one of the few ideas from the 13th century which still flourishes in the 21st century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-green/the-jury-system-is-one-of-the-few-ideas-from-the-13th-century-which/) [Damian Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-green/) > [I read Rumi, the 13th-century Persian poet, every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/i-read-rumi-the-13th-century-persian-poet-every-day/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [I want to die on your chest but not yet she wrote sometime in the 13th century of our love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/i-want-to-die-on-your-chest-but-not-yet-she-wrote-sometime-in-the/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > [The presence of industrial quantities of Byzantine pottery dating from the sixth century AD on the headland at Tintagel, Chinese silk in the tombs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bettany-hughes/the-presence-of-industrial-quantities-of-byzantine-pottery-dating/) [Bettany Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bettany-hughes/) > [I have come to the conclusion that none of us in our generation feels as guilty about sin as we should or as our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/i-have-come-to-the-conclusion-that-none-of-us-in-our-generation-feels/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [I know this was the soil on which I was born: but I have nothing to glorify this as my country. I have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-washington/i-know-this-was-the-soil-on-which-i-was-born-but-i-have-nothing-to/) [Augustus Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-washington/) > [There's a lot of 'ancestor tourism': and people will go back to Ireland to touch ground and have a pint in the same place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-wagner/there-s-a-lot-of-ancestor-tourism-and-people-will-go-back-to-ireland/) [Alex Wagner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-wagner/) > [“Almost two hundred sixty-six years ago on my home world, Earth, my forefathers did the same thing. They declared their independence and free agency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-f-messick/almost-two-hundred-sixty-six-years-ago-on-my-home-world-earth-my/) [Shaun F. Messick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-f-messick/) > [“Take, this day, my hand and promise to absolve what my forefathers and I did to you and your kin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-d-gonsalves/take-this-day-my-hand-and-promise-to-absolve-what-my-forefathers-and/) [Gloria D. Gonsalves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-d-gonsalves/) > [These are people who haven't gone through the legal means to becoming citizens like our forefathers did. They want all the benefits but none…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-dillon/these-are-people-who-haven-t-gone-through-the-legal-means-to-becoming/) [Matt Dillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-dillon/) > [I eat nothing that's processed or refined - no high-fructose corn syrup, no sugar, no trans-fats. I eat a lot of fish and monounsaturated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-karnazes/i-eat-nothing-that-s-processed-or-refined-no-high-fructose-corn-syrup/) [Dean Karnazes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-karnazes/) > [In our world, 80 to 90 percent of women's weight gain comes from overindulging in insulin-stimulating food. And it's not hardcore, straight-up, I-can-see you-in-the-face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-cruise/in-our-world-80-to-90-percent-of-women-s-weight-gain-comes-from/) [Jorge Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-cruise/) > [You look how much sugar is in a typical supermarket loaf of bread: it's a lot of sugar. It's just become one of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/you-look-how-much-sugar-is-in-a-typical-supermarket-loaf-of-bread-it/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [In fact, two slices of whole wheat bread increase blood sugar to a higher level than a candy bar does. And then, after about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-davis/in-fact-two-slices-of-whole-wheat-bread-increase-blood-sugar-to-a/) [William Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-davis/) ## More by Elias Canetti > [A 'modern' man has nothing to add to modernism, if only because he has nothing to oppose it with. The well-adapted drop off the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/a-modern-man-has-nothing-to-add-to-modernism-if-only-because-he-has/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [The planet's survival has become so uncertain that any effort, any thought that presupposes an assured future amounts to a mad gamble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/the-planet-s-survival-has-become-so-uncertain-that-any-effort-any/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [ “The hand which scoops up the water is the first vessel. The fingers of both hands intertwined are the first basket. \[p. 217\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/the-hand-which-scoops-up-the-water-is-the-first-vessel-the-fingers-of/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [The planets survival has become so uncertain that any effort, any thought that presupposes an assured future amounts to a mad gamble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/the-planets-survival-has-become-so-uncertain-that-any-effort-any/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [“Najbolјa definicija zavičaja jeste biblioteka.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/najbol-a-definicija-zavi-aja-jeste-biblioteka/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [“Das Nicht-Wissen darf am Wissen nicht verarmen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/das-nicht-wissen-darf-am-wissen-nicht-verarmen/) [elias canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [In five minutes the earth would be a desert, and you cling to books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/in-five-minutes-the-earth-would-be-a-desert-and-you-cling-to-books/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [The first effect of adjusting to other people is that one becomes boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/the-first-effect-of-adjusting-to-other-people-is-that-one-becomes/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [“Ionako ne postoji oskudica u osrednjim glavama.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/ionako-ne-postoji-oskudica-u-osrednjim-glavama/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [Success is the space one occupies in the newspaper. Success is one day's insolence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/success-is-the-space-one-occupies-in-the-newspaper-success-is-one-day/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [It is always the enemy who started it, even if he was not the first to speak out, he was certainly planning it; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/it-is-always-the-enemy-who-started-it-even-if-he-was-not-the-first-to/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [There emanates from superlatives a destructive force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/there-emanates-from-superlatives-a-destructive-force/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [The fear of burglars is not only the fear of being robbed, but also the fear of a sudden and unexpected clutch out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/the-fear-of-burglars-is-not-only-the-fear-of-being-robbed-but-also/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [Justice begins with the recognition of the necessity of sharing. The oldest law is that which regulates it, and this is still themost important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/justice-begins-with-the-recognition-of-the-necessity-of-sharing-the/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [I would like to become tolerant without overlooking anything, persecute no one even when all people persecute me; become better without noticing it; become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/i-would-like-to-become-tolerant-without-overlooking-anything/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) [Explore all 100 Elias Canetti quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) ## More Bread quotes > [French women don't eat Wonder Bread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mireille-guiliano/french-women-don-t-eat-wonder-bread/) [Mireille Guiliano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mireille-guiliano/) > [In the olden days in England, you could be hung for stealing a sheep or a loaf of bread. However, if a sheep stole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-harding/in-the-olden-days-in-england-you-could-be-hung-for-stealing-a-sheep/) [Mike Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-harding/) > [I don't eat meat - chicken, fish, none of that. I eat a lot of vegetable sandwiches, like lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, cucumbers, whatever I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gza/i-don-t-eat-meat-chicken-fish-none-of-that-i-eat-a-lot-of-vegetable/) [Gza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gza/) > [“We should remark the grace and fascination that there is even in the incidentals of Nature's processes.. When a loaf of bread,. for instance,.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/we-should-remark-the-grace-and-fascination-that-there-is-even-in-the/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [When I met you you were oh so sweet, now you give me the bread and you take all the meat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-jett/when-i-met-you-you-were-oh-so-sweet-now-you-give-me-the-bread-and-you/) [Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/) > [When you fight to give your family bread, that's not passion anymore: that's conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoel-romero/when-you-fight-to-give-your-family-bread-that-s-not-passion-anymore/) [Yoel Romero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoel-romero/) > [I think the best Thanksgiving we ever had was one where we didn't even have a turkey. Mom and Dad sat us kids down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-think-the-best-thanksgiving-we-ever-had-was-one-where-we-didn-t/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Bread is a second cause; the LORD Himself is the first source of our sustenance. He can work without the second cause as well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/bread-is-a-second-cause-the-lord-himself-is-the-first-source-of-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Even if we have to go without bread, we Albanians do not violate principles. We do not betray Marxism - Leninism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enver-hoxha/even-if-we-have-to-go-without-bread-we-albanians-do-not-violate/) [Enver Hoxha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enver-hoxha/) > [Man preys on man; and you mourn for the idle tapestry that decorated a gothic pillar, and the dronish bell that summoned the fat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft/man-preys-on-man-and-you-mourn-for-the-idle-tapestry-that-decorated-a/) [Mary Wollstonecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft/) > [“Nine times out of ten, people pick the wrong food. No, it’s not the sugar (GI = 68), it’s not the candy bar (GI…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-perlmutter/nine-times-out-of-ten-people-pick-the-wrong-food-no-it-s-not-the/) [David Perlmutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-perlmutter/) > [Waffles аrе јust awesome bread.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/waffles-r-ust-awesome-bread/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [At my age, I don't buy but a half a loaf of bread, you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merle-haggard/at-my-age-i-don-t-buy-but-a-half-a-loaf-of-bread-you-know/) [Merle Haggard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merle-haggard/) > [Jesus Christ would have been considered just another long-haired hippie freak if he hadn't been crucified. 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