As the end of the century approaches, all our culture is like flies at the beginning of winter. Having lost their agility, dreamy and demented, they turn slowly about the window in the first icy mists of morning,...then they fall down the curtains.

Summary

This quote suggests that as the end of the century nears, the state of our culture is akin to flies in winter. The flies, representing our cultural endeavors, have become sluggish and disoriented, wandering around a window in the chilling haze of dawn. Eventually, they succumb to their fate and fall down the curtains, symbolizing a decline or the end of their once vibrant existence. This imagery highlights the perceived stagnation or decline of cultural pursuits as time progresses.