"In parallel with the changes it brought in our attitude toward symmetries, the birth of the Standard Model marked changes also in our attitude toward quantum field theory. After 't Hooft's breakthrough in 1971, it became clear that the old problem of infinities in the weak interactions had been solved by the use of spontaneous symmetry breaking to give masses to the W and Z particles. Then the asymptotic freedom of quantum chromodynamics gave us a framework in which we could actually calculate something about the strong interactions - not everything, but at least something. But in scoring these victories, quantum field theory was preparing the way for a further change in our attitude, in which quantum field theory would lose its central position."