A lack of desire for individual originalit or independence, choosing instead to be absorbed by machine production and mass movements. Irresponsibility:

For the Modern mind, humanity was the master of nature. For the coming age, Guardini saw something more sinister: humanity is becoming the fabricator of nature. He predicted genetic engineering, weather control, and the manufacturing of life. He warned that when humans can make a tree—or a human—they lose respect for the givenness of reality. This is no longer dominion; this is a total lack of reverence.

Full-text versions for borrowing or online reading can be found at the Internet Archive .

As we reflect on Guardini's work, we are reminded of the enduring power of his ideas and the ongoing relevance of his critique of modernity. As we face the challenges of our own time, we would do well to return to Guardini's prophetic vision and to consider the implications of his ideas for our own world.

For Guardini, true human experience requires "distance"—the space between the observer and the observed, between the worshipper and God. The Modern World collapsed distance through speed and media. In the coming age, everything is immediate. Everything is available now . Guardini argues that when you eliminate sacred distance, you eliminate awe. A world without awe is a world without worship.

Guardini’s The End of the Modern World is a foundational text for understanding the spiritual crisis of modernity. He argues that the modern epoch is not eternal but historically finite. Its conclusion offers both peril (totalitarian control) and promise (renewal of faith and authentic personhood). For contemporary readers, the book serves as a warning and a call to vigilance, courage, and transcendence.

He is not talking about a literal horned devil. Rather, Guardini posits that the structure of the coming age is inherently "antichristian" in the sense that it denies the Incarnation.

A searchable PDF version is available through the digital library Perlego . Retail Options:

Guardini’s analysis anticipates many 21st-century concerns: