Better things Quote by H.G. Wells
““And then," said Sarnac, "I remember that I made a prophecy. I made it - when did I make it? Two thousand years ago? Or two weeks ago? I sat in Fanny's little sitting-room, an old-world creature amidst her old-world furnishings, and I said that men and women would not always suffer as we were suffering then. I said that we were still poor savages, living only in the bleak dawn of civilisation, and that we suffered because we were under-bred, under-trained and darkly ignorant of ourselves, that the mere fact that we knew our own unhappiness was the promise of better things and that a day would come when charity and understanding would light the world so that men and women would no longer hurt themselves and one another as they were doing now everywhere, universally, in law and in restriction and in jealousy and in hate, all round and about the earth.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Time Machine by H.G. Wells, 1895
The speaker reflects on a prophetic vision of humanity evolving from suffering and ignorance toward a future of charity and understanding.
In simple terms: Humanity can move from misery to compassion through self‑knowledge.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate empathy and education.
Themes
progress
humanity
hope
compassion
ignorance
Mood
reflective
hopeful
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- personal growth
- social reform
- education initiatives
- conflict resolution
Key Concepts
prophecy
social evolution
self‑awareness
Questions to Reflect On
- What actions can individuals take today to foster global compassion?
- How does self‑knowledge translate into societal change?
A Different Perspective
Optimism may overlook entrenched power structures and resistance to change.
![“The thing [Henry James'] novel is about is always there. It is like a church lit but without a congregation to distract you, with every light and line focused on the high altar. And on the altar, very reverently placed, intensely there, is a dead kitten, an egg-shell, a bit of string.” quote by H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/19f/h-g-wells-2-1299_books_the-thing-henry-james-novel-is-about-is_138893.jpg)
