Marcel Pagnol (1895–1974) novelist, playwright and filmmaker from France
Variant: People see the past better than it was, the present worse than it is and the future less resolved than it’ll be.
“We fret ourselves to reform life, in order that posterity may be happy, and posterity will say as usual: "In the past it used to be better, the present is worse than the past."”
Alternate translation: We go to great pains to alter life for the happiness of our descendants and our descendants will say as usual: things used to be so much better, life today is worse than it used to be.
Мы хлопочем, чтобы изменить жизнь, чтобы потомки были счастливы, а потомки скажут по обыкновению: прежде лучше было, теперешняя жизнь хуже прежней.
Note-Book of Anton Chekhov (1921)
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Russian dramatist, author and physician 1860–1904Related quotes
Tony Judt (1948–2010) British historian
Ill Fares the Land (2010), Ch. 2 : The World We Have Lost
Boyle Roche (1736–1807) Irish politician
In a debate in the Irish House of Commons on the vote of a grant which was recommended by Sir John Parnell, Chancellor of the Exchequer, as one not likely to be felt burdensome for many years to come, it was observed in reply that the House had no right to load posterity with a debt for what could in no degree operate to their advantage. This quotation was Sir Boyle's response. <br class="br"> [Barrington, Jonah, Personal sketches and recollections of his own times, Chapter XVII https://archive.org/details/personalsketche06barrgoog]
Benjamin Disraeli (1804–1881) British Conservative politician, writer, aristocrat and Prime Minister
Speech http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1846/jan/22/address-in-answer-to-the-speech in the House of Commons (22 January 1846). <br class="br">1840s
“We should not miss the present opportunity or we shall be blamed by posterity.”
Shunroku Hata (1879–1962) Japanese general
Quoted in "Enter Japan" - "Time Magazine" article - July 8, 1940
“We are always doing something for Posterity, but I would fain see Posterity do something for us.”
Joseph Addison (1672–1719) politician, writer and playwright
No. 587 (20 August 1714).
The Spectator (1711–1714)
Barack Obama (1961) 44th President of the United States of America
2013, Second Inaugural Address (January 2013)
Context: We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity. We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations. Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires and crippling drought and more powerful storms. The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult. But America cannot resist this transition, we must lead it. We cannot cede to other nations the technology that will power new jobs and new industries, we must claim its promise. That’s how we will maintain our economic vitality and our national treasure -- our forests and waterways, our crop lands and snow-capped peaks. That is how we will preserve our planet, commanded to our care by God. That’s what will lend meaning to the creed our fathers once declared.
Thich Nhat Hanh (1926) Religious leader and peace activist
Variant: Life can be found only in the present moment. The past is gone, the future is not yet here, and if we do not go back to ourselves in the present moment, we cannot be in touch with life.
William Pfaff (1928–2015) American journalist
Source: Barbarian Sentiments - How The American Century Ends (1989), Chapter 1, Dead Stars, p. 3.
