1.What is the “grey and desolate time of confusion” Steinbeck refers to in the 6th paragraph?

This is from Steinbeck's Nobel Prize acceptance speech (1962). Steinbeck is speaking of a universal fear in men where conflict of the human heart predominates. Steinbeck laments that writers of fiction have a responsibility to address social justice issues more than lighter escape type fiction. There are so many socio-economic problems in the world that need to be addressed.