Modern European History. Speaks of Paul Valery and what he meant by saying that Europe doubted itself profoundly
1. What did Paul Valery mean in saying that the mind of Europe doubted itself
profoundly?
Before 1914, people in Europe believed in progress, peace, prosperity, reason,
and rights of individuals. During that time, people began to believe in the
Enlightenment, industrial developments were just starting and scientific advances
began to take place. People then really believed in progression and further
developments.
Unfortunately, World War I broke out. Nevertheless, the optimistic people of
Europe still did not doubt the outcome and were so convinced that it was not going to
have any long term effects. They looked toward happier times and hoped life will go
back to where it was before. But little did they know, as a result of the war, total war
broke out and crushed all the hopes and accomplishments that the people had
established. This shocking reality was unbearable and uncomprehending to the
people 's hopes and dreams. And as this lasted over the years, the age of anxiety was
created. People didn 't know or what to expect anymore. They did not know what was
going to happen after the war. They 're so devastated by the war that many who were
still alive lost faith and all hopes. Many intellectuals began to doubt the
Enlightenment and even the future of Western civilization. This state of uncertainty
and unpredictability brought out many modern philosophers of that time. One of them
was a French poet and critic Paul Valery. He stated that 'Europe was looking at its
future with dark foreboding. ' In his writings, he said that 'The storm has died away,
and still we are restless, uneasy, as if the storm were about to break. ' The storm in
this case was the war. People were so terrified by it that they were still in shock and
unsure of its outcome and consequence and the possibility that it might cause another
war to break out. Valery saw that many people suffered from anxiety. He argued that
the people looked at the future with great unease
profoundly?
Before 1914, people in Europe believed in progress, peace, prosperity, reason,
and rights of individuals. During that time, people began to believe in the
Enlightenment, industrial developments were just starting and scientific advances
began to take place. People then really believed in progression and further
developments.
Unfortunately, World War I broke out. Nevertheless, the optimistic people of
Europe still did not doubt the outcome and were so convinced that it was not going to
have any long term effects. They looked toward happier times and hoped life will go
back to where it was before. But little did they know, as a result of the war, total war
broke out and crushed all the hopes and accomplishments that the people had
established. This shocking reality was unbearable and uncomprehending to the
people 's hopes and dreams. And as this lasted over the years, the age of anxiety was
created. People didn 't know or what to expect anymore. They did not know what was
going to happen after the war. They 're so devastated by the war that many who were
still alive lost faith and all hopes. Many intellectuals began to doubt the
Enlightenment and even the future of Western civilization. This state of uncertainty
and unpredictability brought out many modern philosophers of that time. One of them
was a French poet and critic Paul Valery. He stated that 'Europe was looking at its
future with dark foreboding. ' In his writings, he said that 'The storm has died away,
and still we are restless, uneasy, as if the storm were about to break. ' The storm in
this case was the war. People were so terrified by it that they were still in shock and
unsure of its outcome and consequence and the possibility that it might cause another
war to break out. Valery saw that many people suffered from anxiety. He argued that
the people looked at the future with great unease