Artifacts Quote by Richard Matheson
“He stood there for a moment looking around the silent room, shaking his head slowly. All these books, he thought, the residue of a planet’s intellect, the scrapings of futile minds, the leftovers, the potpourri of artifacts that had no power to save men from perishing.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: I Am Legend by Richard Matheson, 1954
He reflects on humanity’s accumulated knowledge as useless relics, unable to prevent inevitable decline.
In simple terms: Human knowledge may be futile against destiny.
Recognize limits of intellect.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- library study
- post‑apocalyptic reflection
- academic debate
- personal contemplation
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What truly matters when knowledge fails?
- How do we find meaning beyond intellect?
Even vast knowledge cannot avert existential threats.