--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: With infinite complacency men went to and…" description: "\"“With infinite complacency men went to and fro over this globe about their little affairs, serene in their assurance of their empire over matter. It is..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0a/h-g-wells-2-1299_quote_with-infinite-complacency-men-went-to-an_1287113.jpg" --- # With infinite complacency men went to and fro over this… ![“With infinite complacency men went to and fro over this globe about their little affairs, serene in their assurance of their empire over matter. It is possible that the infusoria under the microscope do the same.” quote by H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0a/h-g-wells-2-1299_quote_with-infinite-complacency-men-went-to-an_1287113.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0a/h-g-wells-2-1299_quote_with-infinite-complacency-men-went-to-an_1287113.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0a/h-g-wells-2-1299_quote_with-infinite-complacency-men-went-to-an_1287113.jpg) > ““With infinite complacency men went to and fro over this globe about their little affairs, serene in their assurance of their empire over matter. It is possible that the infusoria under the microscope do the same.”” [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human complacency leads to a false sense of control, ignoring the microscopic forces that shape reality. **In simple terms:** People think they dominate, but unseen forces act. Key Takeaway Stay humble and aware of unseen influences. Themes complacency control microscopic humility Mood reflective cautious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - political analysis - scientific research - personal growth Key Concepts philosophy science humility Questions to Reflect On - How does humility affect your decisions? - What unseen factors could be influencing your life? A Different Perspective It may overgeneralize complex systems. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Complacency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complacency/) ## Related quotes > [“With infinite complacency men went to and fro over this globe about their little affairs, serene in their assurance of their empire over matter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/with-infinite-complacency-men-went-to-and-fro-over-this-globe-about-2/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/no-one-would-have-believed-in-the-last-years-of-the-nineteenth-2/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [“And like blots upon the landscape rose the cupolas above the ways to the Underworld. I understood now what all the beauty of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/and-like-blots-upon-the-landscape-rose-the-cupolas-above-the-ways-to/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [Complacency is a creeping danger. Unless wisdom sets in, you will never come to your senses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jey-lopez/complacency-is-a-creeping-danger-unless-wisdom-sets-in-you-will-never/) [Jey Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jey-lopez/) > [In the mind engaged in struggling with hardship, one always finds something delightful. The sorrow of disappointment arises in the complacency of satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zicheng-hong/in-the-mind-engaged-in-struggling-with-hardship-one-always-finds/) [Zicheng Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zicheng-hong/) > [Don't let your special character and values, the secret that you know and no one else does, the truth - don't let that get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/don-t-let-your-special-character-and-values-the-secret-that-you-know/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [“Half the ingratitude and complacency in the world down to how slowly and imperceptibly most good and bad things unfold.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/half-the-ingratitude-and-complacency-in-the-world-down-to-how-slowly/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [Plato calls complacency the companion of loneliness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-grillparzer/plato-calls-complacency-the-companion-of-loneliness/) [Franz Grillparzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-grillparzer/) > [“To move forward, one need only take the first step,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chase-neill/to-move-forward-one-need-only-take-the-first-step/) Chase Neill > [“It’s a fallacy that this generation does not know how to love as its predecessor did. Truth of the matter is, modern love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebo-grand/it-s-a-fallacy-that-this-generation-does-not-know-how-to-love-as-its/) [Lebo Grand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebo-grand/) > [We are the best the show, others weak hold. Just to get complacency / which does not](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/we-are-the-best-the-show-others-weak-hold-just-to-get-complacency/) Mak\_786 > [One of the reasons people hate politics is that truth is rarely a politician's objective. Election and power are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/one-of-the-reasons-people-hate-politics-is-that-truth-is-rarely-a/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [Don't let your success of today lay you into complacency for tomorrow. For that is the worst form of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/don-t-let-your-success-of-today-lay-you-into-complacency-for-tomorrow/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [He who is content with what has been done is an obstacle in the path of progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/he-who-is-content-with-what-has-been-done-is-an-obstacle-in-the-path/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [“Complacency delivered us into the hands of evil greedy men like Cheney.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-rumzi/complacency-delivered-us-into-the-hands-of-evil-greedy-men-like-cheney/) [Sonia Rumzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-rumzi/) ## More by H.G. Wells > [“I was grotesque to the theatrical pitch, a stage miser, but I was certainly not a physical impossibility”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/i-was-grotesque-to-the-theatrical-pitch-a-stage-miser-but-i-was/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“Eight-and-twenty years,' said I, 'I have lived, and never a ghost have I seen as yet.' The old woman sat staring hard into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/eight-and-twenty-years-said-i-i-have-lived-and-never-a-ghost-have-i/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“That is the germ of my great discovery. But you are wrong to say that we cannot move about in Time. For instance, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/that-is-the-germ-of-my-great-discovery-but-you-are-wrong-to-say-that/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“What was needed now was not bravery, but circumspection.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/what-was-needed-now-was-not-bravery-but-circumspection/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [ “The thing \[Henry James'\] novel is about is always there. It is like a church lit but without a congregation to distract you, with… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/the-thing-henry-james-novel-is-about-is-always-there-it-is-like-a/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“Don't follow you,' said Filby.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/don-t-follow-you-said-filby/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“We must remember what ruthless and utter destruction our own species has wrought, not only upon animals, such as vanished bison and the dodo,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/we-must-remember-what-ruthless-and-utter-destruction-our-own-species/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“I grieved to think how brief the dream of the human intellect had been. It had committed suicide. It had set itself steadfastly towards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/i-grieved-to-think-how-brief-the-dream-of-the-human-intellect-had/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“Because this island is full of inimical phenomena.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/because-this-island-is-full-of-inimical-phenomena/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“What right have they to hope? They work ill and they want the reward of those who work well. The hope of mankind -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/what-right-have-they-to-hope-they-work-ill-and-they-want-the-reward/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“So long as you are alive you are just the moment, perhaps, but when you are dead then you are all your life from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/so-long-as-you-are-alive-you-are-just-the-moment-perhaps-but-when-you/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“An unpleasant odour would not be objected to, it is not objected to now in many continental hotels.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/an-unpleasant-odour-would-not-be-objected-to-it-is-not-objected-to/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“In the early evening time Dr. Kemp was sitting in his study in the belvedere on the hill overlooking Burdock. It was a pleasant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/in-the-early-evening-time-dr-kemp-was-sitting-in-his-study-in-the/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“The whole world will be intelligent, educated, and co-operating; things will move faster and faster towards the subjugation of Nature. In the end, wisely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/the-whole-world-will-be-intelligent-educated-and-co-operating-things/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) > [“For three centuries the life of the Hebrews was like the life of a man who insists upon living in the middle of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells-2/for-three-centuries-the-life-of-the-hebrews-was-like-the-life-of-a/) [H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) [Explore all 246 H.G. Wells quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells-2/) ## More Complacency quotes > [“Complacency delivered us into the hands of evil greedy men like Cheney.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-rumzi/complacency-delivered-us-into-the-hands-of-evil-greedy-men-like-cheney/) [Sonia Rumzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-rumzi/) > [He who is content with what has been done is an obstacle in the path of progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/he-who-is-content-with-what-has-been-done-is-an-obstacle-in-the-path/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [Don't let your success of today lay you into complacency for tomorrow. For that is the worst form of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/don-t-let-your-success-of-today-lay-you-into-complacency-for-tomorrow/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [One of the reasons people hate politics is that truth is rarely a politician's objective. Election and power are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-thomas/one-of-the-reasons-people-hate-politics-is-that-truth-is-rarely-a/) [Cal Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-thomas/) > [We are the best the show, others weak hold. Just to get complacency / which does not](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/we-are-the-best-the-show-others-weak-hold-just-to-get-complacency/) Mak\_786 > [“It’s a fallacy that this generation does not know how to love as its predecessor did. Truth of the matter is, modern love is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lebo-grand/it-s-a-fallacy-that-this-generation-does-not-know-how-to-love-as-its/) [Lebo Grand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lebo-grand/) > [“To move forward, one need only take the first step,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chase-neill/to-move-forward-one-need-only-take-the-first-step/) Chase Neill > [Plato calls complacency the companion of loneliness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-grillparzer/plato-calls-complacency-the-companion-of-loneliness/) [Franz Grillparzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-grillparzer/) > [“Half the ingratitude and complacency in the world down to how slowly and imperceptibly most good and bad things unfold.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/half-the-ingratitude-and-complacency-in-the-world-down-to-how-slowly/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [Don't let your special character and values, the secret that you know and no one else does, the truth - don't let that get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop/don-t-let-your-special-character-and-values-the-secret-that-you-know/) [Aesop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop/) > [In the mind engaged in struggling with hardship, one always finds something delightful. The sorrow of disappointment arises in the complacency of satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zicheng-hong/in-the-mind-engaged-in-struggling-with-hardship-one-always-finds/) [Zicheng Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zicheng-hong/) > [Complacency is a creeping danger. Unless wisdom sets in, you will never come to your senses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jey-lopez/complacency-is-a-creeping-danger-unless-wisdom-sets-in-you-will-never/) [Jey Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jey-lopez/) > [I have spoken about what we can do as citizens, what we can do as a responsive citizenry, and this is where we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-tempest-williams/i-have-spoken-about-what-we-can-do-as-citizens-what-we-can-do-as-a/) [Terry Tempest Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-tempest-williams/) > [“Listen to Mr. Complacency long enough and he'll convince you that what you really, really need is a nap.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-and-brett-harris/listen-to-mr-complacency-long-enough-and-he-ll-convince-you-that-what/) Alex and Brett Harris > [I always say, complacency is the kiss of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shari-redstone/i-always-say-complacency-is-the-kiss-of-death/) [Shari Redstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shari-redstone/) [Browse all 437 Complacency quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complacency/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“With infinite complacency men went to and fro over this globe about their little affairs, serene in their assurance of their empire over matter. 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