Idea of Time, Part I: The Problem of Values.

For centuries, Europeans lived within a cohesive culture that encompassed all aspects of life, shaping them into a unified whole. Despite the diversity of historical epochs—whether during the Age of Exploration, the Thirty Years' War, or the French Revolution—these events were perceived as continuations of the same living tradition, akin to an eternal present. Changes in the political landscape, such as the rise and fall of leading nations or centers of cultural influence, were not seen as momentous events for Western civilization but rather as another stage in the continuously unfolding "today." During this time, the fundamental concepts of culture—God and Man—remained unchanged from the spread of Christianity until the 19th century.

However, doubts began to plague people regarding God's justice and omnipotence, spurred by numerous recurring tragedies: indeed, the endless wars, diseases, and suffering. If God exists, then why does He allow such widespread misery? With the advancement of technology and the establishment of the individual as a central concept, faith emerged in humanity's limitless ability to solve its problems and create a harmonious society through its own efforts.

In around 1880, philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche proclaimed, "God is dead," acknowledging a trend already forming in people's minds. Yet it soon became clear that without God—whose "death" Nietzsche noted—it was impossible to establish a hierarchy of values, as God had been the measure of all things concerning morality, ethics, and what is acceptable or unacceptable. The objects surrounding us (including art) lost their widely recognized "authority" and the ability to be acknowledged as corresponding to established values through appeals to tradition and reason. In other words, from that point on, things were created without regard for ideal prototypes or concepts. Traditional culture always aligned itself with eternal models, while modernist culture, in contrast, consistently asserts its temporary nature, often at the cost of neuroses and constant psychological discomfort for those who exist within it.

Even contemporary high culture has abandoned the necessity of a hierarchy of values. In mass culture, these values may still appear to exist, but their significance has been reduced to simple facts like "Leonardo da Vinci is a genius," with his paintings now appearing on T-shirts and hoodies.