As time progressed through the various ages, Ancient to Renaissance, a trend began to form in the literature. The Ancient periods, reflected in the writings of the Taoists and the Greeks, were basically a time of transcendentalism. The gods of this era were treated almost as if they are friends to the people, or advisors; the gods controlled their fates and the uncontrollable, but the people were still very individualistic. As time progressed forwards, a …showed first 75 words of 2055 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2055 total…by an almost purgatory spiritual reformation movement. In America, these cycles seem to have accelerated until they are a perceivable oscillating phenomenon - individualist in the 1960s, theist spirituality through the 1980s, and another transcendentalist movement in the 1990s, each shift pushing the two ideas closer together. Perhaps one day in the near future, these ideas will become similar enough in nature that they are somewhat joined to form a more moderate philosophy in society.