“When we're young, we notice things that are young, like ourselves. New grass on old graves. New leaves on old trees”

— Gene Wolfe

Volume 3: Caldé of the Long Sun (1994), Ch. 1
Fiction, The Book of the Long Sun (1993–1996)

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Gene Wolfe 102

American science fiction and fantasy writer 1931–2019

Henry Vaughan (1621–1695) Welsh author, physician and metaphysical poet

"The Rainbow".
Silex Scintillans (1655)

“When I was young, the old regarded me as an outrageous young fellow, and now that I'm old the young regard me as an outrageous old fellow.”

Fred Hoyle (1915–2001) British astronomer

As quoted in Scientific American (March 1995)

“Young men, hear an old man to whom old men hearkened when he was young.”

Augustus (-63–14 BC) founder of Julio-Claudian dynasty and first emperor of the Roman Empire

“We clothe ourselves in flame
And trade new myths for old.”

Ray Bradbury (1920–2012) American writer

"We March Back to Olympus" in Where Robot Mice and Robot Men Run Round in Robot Towns (1977), p. 11
Context: We clothe ourselves in flame
And trade new myths for old.
The Greek gods christen us
With ghosts of comet swords;
God smiles and names us thus: "
"Arise! Run! Fly, my Lords!"

“Young men," said Cæsar, "hear an old man to whom old men hearkened when he was young.”

Plutarch (46–127) ancient Greek historian and philosopher

Cæsar Augustus
Roman Apophthegms

“Young people, especially, are looking for religion so desperately that they are inventing new ones. They should not have to invent new ones; the old religions are pretty good.”

Irving Kristol (1920–2009) American columnist, journalist, and writer

Capitalism and Socialism: A Theological Inquiry (American Enterprise Institute Press, 1979).
1970s

“My hero has no program about the future, but he believes that we must create New Man. Young men must become New Man. Old man must mediate to create New Man. That is my creed.”

Kenzaburō Ōe (1935) Japanese author

Conversations with History interview (1999)
Context: In the end of my new novel, my hero is creating a new charity, not Christian, not Buddhist, but only they are doing something for the soul of him, of the assembled young men. One day the leader reads a Bible in front of the people, the letter of Ephesians. In Ephesians there are two words: "New Man." Jesus Christ has become a New Man on the cross. We must take off the old coat of the old man. We must become the New Man. Only the New Man can do something, so you must become a New Man. My hero has no program about the future, but he believes that we must create New Man. Young men must become New Man. Old man must mediate to create New Man. That is my creed.