Some extraordinary generalisations being applied there. Given that a large number of people experienced mental health problems during pandemic lockdowns it seem

Some extraordinary generalisations being applied there. Given that a large number of people experienced mental health problems during pandemic lockdowns it seems highly plausible that a population would become sufficiently depressed when they know that all of a sudden, despite whatever efforts they now apply towards understanding the universe, it will be futile because another species at a not long before, similar level of advancement had applied a weapon to prevent any possible progress. Sounds pretty demotivating to me! Perhaps you meant to conclude, ‘that’s not how I’d personally behave, or at least believe I would without having experienced such a trauma’? Pity you tossed the book away just for that though.