Earlier this week, I was sitting in a coffee shop reading a book. I found a paragraph which nagged at me a bit, since it seemed to hint at what was happening in the world today. I’ve copied it below.
“Since then, new tyrannies and new wars have shaken Europe, and we find ourselves the uneasy heirs of the first romantics, still committed to their ideal of refashioning the world, though more soberly in view of bitter experience. Their central problem – the discrepancy between human aspiration and human weakness – is still ours, manifest in Europe’s powerlessness to fulfil boundless potentialities for progress, owing to the diversion of human energy into preparations for a possible war of annihilation.”
So here’s the quiz question: can you suggest in which decade this sentiment was expressed – out of, say, the last 150 years? No googling, mind! It’s an honour thing…
As you say, could be last week. I’ll say 80s.
Sounds like Cold War era. Bay of Pigs sort of time. 1959-61.
New tyrannies (Hitler, Mussolini, Franco) and new wars (Great War) shaking EUROPE? That’ll be the 1930s then.
Do I hear the QI Alan Davis klaxon for obvious but wrong answer?
I’m with you @salwarpe, even though the 30s is very obvious.
You’re all wrong, bunch of thickos.
It’s the sleeve notes to the proper previously unreleased second Johnny Hates Jazz album.
I knew it, Freddy! The notes were written by Dave Morley – Paul’s younger brother.
Well that’s shattered my dreams…
There’s another Morley?
These are dark days and just when you thought they couldn’t get any darker…
That said, for obvious reasons, a run down of their favourite 1000 albums would be most useful… frankly, imperative.
Can anyone arrange it for me?
Well there’s one near Leeds @deramdaze
@leffe-gin
Oooof! Good work.
1950s, and guessing the line about devoting energies to a war od annihilation refers to nuclear arms race
Indeed nothing is new.
Thucydides
It is a common mistake in going to war to begin at the wrong end, to act first, and wait for disaster to discuss the matter.
Book I, 1.78-[3]
” war is a matter not so much of arms as of money,”
Book I, 1.83-[2]
1840s?
1970s
“war of annihilation” suggests nuclear age. So I’ll say 1950’s
Could be any time really but it feels very late 19th century, maybe early 20th to me.
The stuff about grappling with human nature and Europe’s boundless potential feels very much like the period in the build up to WW1, when the astute could seemingly sense another massive tear up in the offing.
1890s?
Mention of the romantics leads me to think this is a book about music but that’s not really relevant to the question. I’ll have a bash at the 1920s.
I would hazard the 1880s.
Come on Fitters, put us out of our misery.
I’ll post the answer later today. No need for it to run on…
I think it’s sleeve notes to Frankie’s Two Tribes. Either that or the Romans or Greeks. That says much about Paul Morleys writing style…
Dickens.
What the!
Is it the forties? The reference to a war of annihilation makes me think it would be post H Bomb, and the tone is reminiscent of someone like Bertrand Russell or H G Wells.
I’m going to gues the first decade of the 20th century (i.e. 1900-1910).
Seconded
Year 1840, Time & Date 12.30 Tuesday 1st September
Pre-First World War in my opinion.
1900’sh. The Belle Époque wasn’t all that belle
The big reveal:
The book was ‘Gustav Mahler – an introduction to his music’, written by Deryck Cooke.
It was produced in its original form as a booklet, published by the BBC in 1960.
@chiz wins the white carnation for not only being first to get the decade – but also getting the year correct, to plus or minus one.
Runners up are Rigid and Chilli Ray, both suggesting the 1950s for the decade – and the nuclear threat.
Bonus point for pencilsqueezer, who spotted that it was a book about music from the “first romantics” reference.