History had been man's effort to accomodate himself to what he could not do. Amereican history in the 20th century would, more than ever before, test man's ability to accomodate himself to all the new things he could do.
Daniel J. BoorstinRead
Not so many years ago there was no simpler or more intelligible notion than that of going on a journey. Travel -movement through space -provided the universal metaphor for change. One of the subtle confusions -perhaps one of the secret terrors -of modern life is that we have lost this refuge. No longer do we move through space as we once did.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on how the concept of travel has been a deep metaphor for personal and societal change, which has been lost in modern life.
Daniel J. Boorstin's quote explores the idea that travel has historically represented a clear and understandable journey, symbolizing the changes we experience in life. He suggests that in contemporary society, we have lost the essence of this metaphor, and as a result, our understanding of change has become muddled and confusing. The quote implies a longing for a time when movement through space was a straightforward expression of transformation, and it highlights the challenges of modernity that complicate our relationship with change.
Themes
JourneyTravelChangeModern LifeMetaphor
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about personal growth, one might say, 'As we embark on our journey of change, remember Daniel J. Boorstin's words on the lost art of travel.'
More from Daniel J. Boorstin
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Freedom means the opportunity to be what we never thought we would be.
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Human models are more vivid and more persuasive than explicit moral commands.
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Knowledge is not simply another commodity. On the contrary. Knowledge is never used up. It increases by diffusion and grows by dispersion.
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We need not be theologians to see that we have shifted responsibility for making the world interesting from God to the newspaperman.
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