The following is an excerpt from The Book of Samurai:
“It is said that what is called “the spirit of an age” is something to which one cannot return. That this spirit gradually dissipates is due to the world’s coming to an end. For this reason, although one would like to change today’s world back to the spirit of one hundred years or more ago, it cannot be done. Thus, it is important to make the best out of every generation.”
There was a time when I found fault with the stated idea that the world is therefore coming to an end. But that was long before I made an effort to stop believing in things. Clearly, the world will one day come to an end. All created things will see their end, without exception. More importantly, the above text from The Book of Samurai demonstrates how past eras have always been viewed. In the same way that I view the bygone 1980s, my parents remembered the bygone 1950s. This is of course partially colored by nostalgia. But there is also a fondly remembered “something” that has passed, which we now view as a loss.
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