World War I destroyed faith in progress, evolution, and continuity with history.

Evidence

Some credence must be given to Kern’s judgement that ‘in four years the belief in evolution, progress, and history itself was wiped out’ as the war ‘ripped up the historical fabric and cut everyone off from the past suddenly and irretrievably.’ — David Harvey, The Condition of Postmodernity, 1766

Categorization

• XREF: This is the cultural-precursor claim to the book’s broad thesis about modernist rupture; connects to the reader’s earlier interest in how perceived abrupt change reorders people’s worldviews. — connects to: The twentieth century’s catastrophes shook faith in historical progress. — Alex Callinicos, Against Postmodernism: A Marxist…, 58; Loss of cultural belief leads to chaos and conflict. — Jordan B. Peterson, 12 Rules for Life An Antidote to Chaos, 84; Total defeat in war can collapse an entire civilization’s cultural self-confidence — Samuel P. Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations and the…, 286 (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• Total defeat in war can collapse an entire civilization’s cultural self-confidence #qualifies (0.80) — Samuel P. Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations and the…, 286
• Loss of cultural belief leads to chaos and conflict. #expands (0.75) — Jordan B. Peterson, 12 Rules for Life An Antidote to Chaos, 84