For Guardini, this epoch achieved extraordinary heights in science, democracy, and human rights. Yet, from its very inception, it contained a fatal flaw: the separation of power from meaning, of technical capability from moral wisdom.
Guardini coined a crucial phrase: The "work of man" (the vast network of machines, bureaucracies, and digital infrastructure) is beginning to possess an independence that overshadows its creator. He writes that the modern world is transitioning into an age where the "domination of the machine" becomes total. The machine is no longer a servant; it becomes a form of life that demands human adaptation. Today, we see this in algorithmic feeds that shape our desires, AI that writes our prose, and social scoring systems that judge our worth. the end of the modern world romano guardini pdf
For Guardini, a Catholic priest and theologian, the solution to the crisis is spiritual, not political. For Guardini, this epoch achieved extraordinary heights in