You still stand watch, O human star, burning without a flicker, perfect flame, bright and resourceful spirit. Each of your rays a great idea - O torch which passes from hand to hand, from age to age, world without end.
Karel CapekRead
It suddenly occurred to me that every move on the chessboard is old and has been played by somebody at some time. Maybe our own history has been played out by somebody at some time, and we just move our pieces about in the same moves to strike in the same way as people have always done.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the cyclical nature of human actions and history, likening it to the game of chess where every move has been previously made.
Karel Capek's quote suggests that human behavior and history might reflect a repetitive cycle, analogous to the moves in a game of chess that have been played throughout time. It implies that we, like chess pieces, often follow paths determined by past experiences and actions, hinting at a sense of fate or predetermined patterns in our lives.
Themes
ChessHistoryCyclesHuman BehaviorPatterns
In practice
Example use cases
During a lecture on history, this quote can illustrate the concept of historical cycles.
More from Karel Capek
All quotes →Robots do not hold on to life. They can't. They have nothing to hold on with - no soul, no instinct. Grass has more will to live than they do.
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It's not possible to search for God using the methods of a detective... There is no way. You can only wait till God's axe severs your roots: then you will understand that you are here only through a miracle, and you will remain fixed forever in wonderment and equilibrium.
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Relativism is not indifference; on the contrary, passionate indifference is necessary in order for you not to hear the voices that oppose your absolute decrees...
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Let no one think that real gardening is a bucolic and meditative occupation. It is an insatiable passion, like everything else to which a man gives his heart.
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Robots of the world, you are ordered to exterminate the human race. Do not spare the men. Do not spare the women. Preserve only the factories, railroads, machines, mines, and raw materials. Destroy everything else. Then return to work. Work must not cease.
Karel CapekRead
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