"There are some centuries which - apart from everything else - in the art and other disciplines presume to remake everything because they know how to make nothing"

Certain eras in human history are marked by a restless desire for total renewal, ambitioning the transformation of art, knowledge, and societal structure. Yet, Giacomo Leopardi acutely observes the irony that often, those very centuries compelled to overthrow the past and revolutionize every facet of cultural production are paradoxically those least capable of genuine creation themselves. This is not simply a critique of innovation; rather, it’s a meditation on the deeper relationship between destruction, creation, and historical consciousness.

Epochs that “presume to remake everything” tend to reject established traditions and inherited forms, motivated by the conviction that existing ways are obsolete or corrupt. However, Leopardi suggests that such radicalism may arise not out of overflowing creative energy, but out of a fundamental creative immaturity, a kind of cultural void. Unable to produce enduring art or wisdom of their own, these periods compensate by tearing down what came before, confidently asserting new dogmas, yet lacking the skill or insight to craft lasting replacements.

This phenomenon speaks to the anxiety of influence and the burden of inheritance. Some ages, lacking the internal resources or authentic inspiration to generate something truly novel, seek legitimacy through rupture rather than through continuity. Their innovations may be superficial or ideological, never reaching the depth or beauty of the traditions they displace. In their zeal to sweep the slate clean, they risk flattening the complexity of human achievement, reducing culture to a procession of failed experiments and discarded ideals.

Leopardi’s reflection is ultimately a warning against the arrogance of ages that misunderstand the sources of creativity. True creation, he implies, emerges from a dialogue with what has come before, a respectful transformation, not mere destruction. Only those who appreciate and assimilate the achievements of the past are equipped to offer something meaningful and new to the future.