"No period of history has ever been great or ever can be that does not act on some sort of high, idealistic motives, and idealism in our time has been shoved aside, and we are paying the penalty for it"

This quote by Alfred North Whitehead talks to the importance of idealism in producing an excellent duration of history. He recommends that without idealism, no duration of history can be terrific. He indicates that idealism has actually been disregarded in our existing time, and that we are suffering the consequences of this overlook. Whitehead is suggesting that idealism is important for developing a terrific duration of history, and that without it, we will not have the ability to accomplish achievement. He is warning us that if we do not accept idealism, we will pay the price for it. This quote acts as a suggestion that idealism is a fundamental part of producing an excellent duration of history, and that we need to not disregard it.