Long ago Quote by Walter M. Miller Jr
““Centuries old, but recently widened, the highway was the same road used by pagan armies, pilgrims, peasants, donkey carts, nomads, wild horsemen out of the east, artillery, tanks, and ten-ton trucks. Its traffic gushed or trickled or dripped, according to the age and season. Once before, long ago, there had been six lanes and robot traffic. Then the traffic had stopped, the paving had cracked, and sparse grass grew in the cracks after an occasional rain. Dust had covered it. Desert dwellers had dug up its broken concrete for the building of hovels and barricades. Erosion made it a desert trail, crossing wilderness. But now there were six lanes and robot traffic, as before.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: A Canticle for Leibowitz, 1959
Describes a highway’s cyclical rise, fall, and rebirth across ages, reflecting human progress and decay.
In simple terms: History repeats as societies rebuild and decline.
Key Takeaway
Recognize patterns of rise and decline.
Themes
history
civilization
impermanence
Mood
reflective
poetic
Type
literary
historical
When to use this quote
- post‑war reconstruction
- future planning
- heritage preservation
Key Concepts
cyclical change
technological regression
urban decay
Questions to Reflect On
- What lessons can we learn from past cycles?
- How can we break negative patterns?
A Different Perspective
Overlooks individual agency in shaping outcomes.
