--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The essence of modernity is that progress…" description: "\"The essence of modernity is that progress no longer waits on genius; instead we have learned to put our faith in the organized efforts of ordinary men...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/william-wickenden-64014_ancient_the-essence-of-modernity-is-that-progres_1022570.jpg" --- # The essence of modernity is that progress no longer waits… ![“The essence of modernity is that progress no longer waits on genius; instead we have learned to put our faith in the organized efforts of ordinary men. Science is as old as the race, but the effective organization of science is new. Ancient science, like placer mining, was a pursuit of solitary…” quote by William Wickenden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/william-wickenden-64014_ancient_the-essence-of-modernity-is-that-progres_1022570.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/william-wickenden-64014_ancient_the-essence-of-modernity-is-that-progres_1022570.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/william-wickenden-64014_ancient_the-essence-of-modernity-is-that-progres_1022570.jpg) > “The essence of modernity is that progress no longer waits on genius; instead we have learned to put our faith in the organized efforts of ordinary men. Science is as old as the race, but the effective organization of science is new. Ancient science, like placer mining, was a pursuit of solitary prospectors. Nuggets of truth were found, but the total wealth of knowledge increased slowly. Modern man began to transform this world when he began to mine the hidden veins of knowledge systematically.” [William Wickenden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wickenden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Progress now depends on collective organization rather than lone geniuses, making systematic collaboration essential for rapid knowledge growth. **In simple terms:** Collaboration drives modern progress. Key Takeaway Embrace teamwork and structured research. Themes collaboration science progress organization Mood optimistic analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - research labs - corporate R&D - open-source projects - academic consortia Key Concepts systems thinking collective intelligence knowledge networks Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance collective effort with individual insight? - What structures best support systematic discovery? A Different Perspective May overlook individual creativity and serendipity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ancient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Essence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essence/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mining/) [Modern man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-man/) [Modernity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modernity/) [Ordinary man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary-man/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [Pursuit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Solitary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solitary/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“What you call God is ancient Mythology and what I call God is ancient Science.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rishi-bakshi/what-you-call-god-is-ancient-mythology-and-what-i-call-god-is-ancient/) [Rishi Bakshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rishi-bakshi/) > [“His poems have no capital letters in them, which is, I believe, the essence of modernity. His books are about unpleasant people leading lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/his-poems-have-no-capital-letters-in-them-which-is-i-believe-the-2/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [The whole iconography of ancient science is simply the fruit of wishful thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sarton/the-whole-iconography-of-ancient-science-is-simply-the-fruit-of/) [George Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sarton/) > [“His poems have no capital letters in them, which is, I believe, the essence of modernity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/his-poems-have-no-capital-letters-in-them-which-is-i-believe-the/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [But all of this action goes on in the dark, hidden underground. It’s called stealing or piracy, as if sharing a wealth of knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-swartz/but-all-of-this-action-goes-on-in-the-dark-hidden-underground-it-s/) [Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/) > [True originality consists not in a new manner but in a new vision. That new, that personal, vision is attained only by looking long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-wharton/true-originality-consists-not-in-a-new-manner-but-in-a-new-vision-2/) [Edith Wharton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-wharton/) > [Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot/where-is-the-knowledge-we-have-lost-in-information/) [T. S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot/) > [In Oceania at the present day, Science, in the old sense, has almost ceased to exist. In Newspeak there is no word for 'Science.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-oceania-at-the-present-day-science-in-the-old-sense-has-almost/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [You ask whether I am going over to the history of science... no, I am not as old as that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-kelk-ingold/you-ask-whether-i-am-going-over-to-the-history-of-science-no-i-am-not/) Christopher Kelk Ingold > [A wealth of knowledge is openly accessible in nature. Our ancestors knew this and embraced the natural cures found in the bosoms of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/a-wealth-of-knowledge-is-openly-accessible-in-nature-our-ancestors/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [There is no greater wealth than wisdom, no greater poverty than ignorance; no greater heritage than culture and no greater support than consultation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-no-greater-wealth-than-wisdom-no-greater-poverty-than/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I knew of no sadder picture in the history of science than that of the old man, Galileo, worn by a long life of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-mitchell/i-knew-of-no-sadder-picture-in-the-history-of-science-than-that-of/) [Maria Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-mitchell/) > [An immense and ever-increasing wealth of knowledge is scattered about the world today; knowledge that would probably suffice to solve all the mighty difficulties…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-g-wells/an-immense-and-ever-increasing-wealth-of-knowledge-is-scattered-about/) [H. G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-g-wells/) > [ I read slave narratives, books like Bullwhip Days, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. \[The Root's chairman\] Henry Louis Gates has an… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurnee-smollett/i-read-slave-narratives-books-like-bullwhip-days-incidents-in-the/) [Jurnee Smollett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurnee-smollett/) > [I found that people had all kinds of levels of consciousness, all kinds of levels of education, but that Cubans in general were very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/i-found-that-people-had-all-kinds-of-levels-of-consciousness-all/) [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) ## More by William Wickenden > [Effective science began when it passed from the occasional amateur into the hands of men who made the winning of knowledge their special function…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wickenden/effective-science-began-when-it-passed-from-the-occasional-amateur/) [William Wickenden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wickenden/) > [Science began to be powerful when it began to be cumulative, when observers began to preserve detailed records, to organize cooperating groups in order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wickenden/science-began-to-be-powerful-when-it-began-to-be-cumulative-when/) [William Wickenden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wickenden/) > [Organization is simply the means by which the acts of ordinary men can be made to add up to extraordinary results. To this idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wickenden/organization-is-simply-the-means-by-which-the-acts-of-ordinary-men/) [William Wickenden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wickenden/) > [It is this ideal of progress through cumulative effort rather than through genius—progress by organised effort, progress which does not wait for some brilliant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wickenden/it-is-this-ideal-of-progress-through-cumulative-effort-rather-than/) [William Wickenden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wickenden/) [Explore all 5 William Wickenden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wickenden/) ## More Ancient quotes > [“We ought to know the history of our ancient ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-ought-to-know-the-history-of-our-ancient-ancestors/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-ancient-times-those-who-wished-to-illuminate-the-world-with-virtue/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“Whenever I think about ancient cultures nostalgia seizes me. Perhaps this is nothing but envy of the sweet slowness of the history of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/whenever-i-think-about-ancient-cultures-nostalgia-seizes-me-perhaps/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [I don't know if I've come of age, but I'm certainly older now. I feel shrunken, as if there's a tiny ancient Oliver Tate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-don-t-know-if-i-ve-come-of-age-but-i-m-certainly-older-now-i-feel/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [Tentatively I stood a great lump of wood on the chopping block and bought the axe down on it. It flew into two perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/tentatively-i-stood-a-great-lump-of-wood-on-the-chopping-block-and/) [Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/) > [Men must speak English who can write Sanskrit; they must speak a modern language who write, perchance, an ancient and universal one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-must-speak-english-who-can-write-sanskrit-they-must-speak-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [So too, monks, I saw the ancient path, the ancient road traveled by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past. And what is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/so-too-monks-i-saw-the-ancient-path-the-ancient-road-traveled-by-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Ancient societies had anthropomorphic gods: a huge pantheon expanding into centuries of dynastic drama; fathers and sons, martyred heroes, star-crossed lovers, the deaths of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hiddleston/ancient-societies-had-anthropomorphic-gods-a-huge-pantheon-expanding/) [Tom Hiddleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hiddleston/) > [My life shall be free and broad and great, and I will not be the slave to the sense delights which chained my ancient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/my-life-shall-be-free-and-broad-and-great-and-i-will-not-be-the-slave/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [Those of us with this ancient compulsion to tell stories sometimes start with a single kernel of something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/those-of-us-with-this-ancient-compulsion-to-tell-stories-sometimes/) [Edward P. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-p-jones/) > [All the stories I have told you are finally as useless as all ancient knowledge is to man and to us. Its images and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/all-the-stories-i-have-told-you-are-finally-as-useless-as-all-ancient/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [So what if I'm ninety-three? So what if I'm ancient and cranky and my body's a wreck? If they're willing to accept me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gruen/so-what-if-i-m-ninety-three-so-what-if-i-m-ancient-and-cranky-and-my/) [Sara Gruen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gruen/) > [Science has revealed a universe that is vast, ancient, violent, strange, and beautiful, a universe of almost infinite variety and possibility one in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-mlodinow/science-has-revealed-a-universe-that-is-vast-ancient-violent-strange/) [Leonard Mlodinow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-mlodinow/) [Browse all 2,415 Ancient quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The essence of modernity is that progress no longer waits on genius; instead we have learned to put our faith in the organized efforts of ordinary men. Science is as old as the race, but the effective organization of science is new. 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