The nation is burdened with the heavy curse on those who come afterwards. The generation before us was inspired by an activism and a naive enthusiasm, which we cannot rekindle, because we confront tasks of a different kind from those which our fathers faced.

Summary

This quote suggests that the present generation is burdened by the expectations and accomplishments of the previous generation. The previous generation had a certain fervor and idealism that cannot be replicated by the current one, as they are faced with different challenges and responsibilities. The quote highlights the feeling of being unable to live up to the past successes and the need to find new approaches to address the unique problems of the current time.