As quoted in Values of the Wise : Humanity's Highest Aspirations (2004) by Jason Merchey, p. 31
“
There is hopeful symbolism in the fact that flags do not wave in a vacuum.
— Arthur C. Clarke
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "There is hopeful symbolism in the fact that flags do not wave in a vacuum." in the context of "As quoted in Values of the Wise : Humanity's Highest Aspirations (2004) by Jason Merchey, p. 31" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Arthur C. Clarke" (Quotes, 2000s and posthumous publications)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
About Arthur C. Clarke
Sir Arthur Charles Clarke (16 December 1917 – 19 March 2008) was a British author, inventor and futurist, famous for his short stories and novels, among them 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), and as a host and commentator in the British television series Mysterious World. For many years, Robert A. Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, and Clarke were known as the "Big Three" of science fiction.
About Arthur C. Clarke
Sir Arthur Charles Clarke (16 December 1917 – 19 March 2008) was a British author, inventor and futurist, famous for his short stories and novels, among them 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), and as a host and commentator in the British television series Mysterious World. For many years, Robert A. Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, and Clarke were known as the "Big Three" of science fiction.
View all quotes →