It was funny how the old practices always came around again. It was the rhythm of human enterprise to invent and worship some new approach, to fully reject it a generation later, to realize the need for it again a generation or two after that and then hastily reinvent it as new, usually without its original elegance. Scientists hated to look backward for anything.

Summary

This quote highlights the cyclical nature of human behavior, particularly in regards to innovation and progress. It sarcastically points out that throughout history, people tend to invent new approaches, only to later reject them and then eventually rediscover their importance. The quote also suggests that this rediscovery often involves hastily reinventing these old practices without fully capturing their original brilliance. Furthermore, it implies that scientists typically prefer to focus on looking forward rather than considering the value of past ideas.

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