--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At almost the same moment in humanity's…" description: "\"“At almost the same moment in humanity's broad history, mankind had discovered the means for bringing about its utter downfall. And the ability to forg..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e98/hugh-howey-841_history_at-almost-the-same-moment-in-humanity-s_2674051.jpg" --- # At almost the same moment in humanity's broad history… ![“At almost the same moment in humanity's broad history, mankind had discovered the means for bringing about its utter downfall. And the ability to forget it ever happened.” quote by Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e98/hugh-howey-841_history_at-almost-the-same-moment-in-humanity-s_2674051.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e98/hugh-howey-841_history_at-almost-the-same-moment-in-humanity-s_2674051.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e98/hugh-howey-841_history_at-almost-the-same-moment-in-humanity-s_2674051.jpg) > ““At almost the same moment in humanity's broad history, mankind had discovered the means for bringing about its utter downfall. And the ability to forget it ever happened.”” [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humanity creates powerful technologies that could cause its own destruction, yet forgets to remember the danger. **In simple terms:** We forget the risks of our own inventions. Key Takeaway Remember past mistakes. Themes technology hubris historical amnesia Mood cautionary thought‑provoking Type philosophical warning When to use this quote - policy making - education - technology development - public discourse Key Concepts existential risk collective memory Questions to Reflect On - How can societies retain caution? - What safeguards prevent catastrophic misuse? A Different Perspective Forgetting can repeat past errors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-mankind/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [Mankind Discovered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind-discovered-2525647/) [Moment Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moment-humanity-1289421/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“No life had ever been truly saved, not in the history of mankind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/no-life-had-ever-been-truly-saved-not-in-the-history-of-mankind/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) > [We are overcome by anguish at this illogical moment of humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/we-are-overcome-by-anguish-at-this-illogical-moment-of-humanity/) [Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/) > [“The moment when humanity learns to tame all its primeval biases, only then it will be worth the title "Sapiens", not any earlier.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/the-moment-when-humanity-learns-to-tame-all-its-primeval-biases-only/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Not in the history of mankind has the government ever created a job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-steele/not-in-the-history-of-mankind-has-the-government-ever-created-a-job/) [Michael Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-steele/) > [When the real history of mankind is fully disclosed, will it feature the echoes of gunfire or the shaping sound of lullabies? 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It was the castration of thought,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/the-mind-numbing-routine-it-was-the-castration-of-thought/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) > [“a crime to fell a tree and light it on fire, where coals of hardened shit warmed and stunk up homes,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/a-crime-to-fell-a-tree-and-light-it-on-fire-where-coals-of-hardened/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) > [Even in the darkness, his smile threw shadows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/even-in-the-darkness-his-smile-threw-shadows/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) > [“The Loud came before the quiet. 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From the moment I woke up, I could feel Monday looming,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-howey/i-hated-sundays-as-a-kid-from-the-moment-i-woke-up-i-could-feel/) [Hugh Howey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) [Explore all 351 Hugh Howey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-howey/) ## More History quotes > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. 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