--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Not much was really invented during the…" description: "\"Not much was really invented during the Renaissance, if you don't count modern civilization.\" — P. J. O'Rourke" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e24/p-j-o-rourke-184_civilization_not-much-was-really-invented-during-the_1063828.png" --- # Not much was really invented during the Renaissance, if… ![“Not much was really invented during the Renaissance, if you don't count modern civilization.” quote by P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e24/p-j-o-rourke-184_civilization_not-much-was-really-invented-during-the_1063828.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e24/p-j-o-rourke-184_civilization_not-much-was-really-invented-during-the_1063828.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e24/p-j-o-rourke-184_civilization_not-much-was-really-invented-during-the_1063828.png) > “Not much was really invented during the Renaissance, if you don't count modern civilization.” [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Renaissance contributed little original invention compared to modern technological progress. **In simple terms:** Renaissance lacked modern inventions. Key Takeaway Recognize modern advances. Themes history innovation progress Mood reflective critical Type analytical historical When to use this quote - education - technology policy - historical analysis Key Concepts cultural evolution technological change Questions to Reflect On - How do we value past cultural achievements? - What defines true invention? A Different Perspective Modern inventions dominate cultural impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Modern civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-civilization/) [Renaissance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/renaissance/) ## Related quotes > [One of the things that always fascinated me about the Renaissance was that it was a time both of great scientific discovery and also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-rutkoski/one-of-the-things-that-always-fascinated-me-about-the-renaissance-was/) [Marie Rutkoski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-rutkoski/) > [The Nobel Peace Prize has always been a joke - albeit a grim one. Alfred Bernhard Nobel famously invented dynamite and felt sorry about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/the-nobel-peace-prize-has-always-been-a-joke-albeit-a-grim-one-alfred/) [P. J. 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Simple folk live in a world of love and peace. Let no one hate another or harm another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sivananda/modern-civilization-is-complicated-and-artificial-simple-folk-live-in/) [Sivananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sivananda/) > [Without books, history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-tuchman/without-books-history-is-silent-literature-dumb-science-crippled/) [Barbara Tuchman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-tuchman/) > [Modern civilization has no understanding of sacred matters. Everything is backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-yellowtail/modern-civilization-has-no-understanding-of-sacred-matters-everything/) [Thomas Yellowtail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-yellowtail/) ## More by P. J. O'Rourke > [I'm fascinated by political enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-m-fascinated-by-political-enthusiasm/) [P. J. 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