In what seems like a fantastic coincidence, but is probably no coincidence at all, the history of these events is recovered just as people come to realize that they are causing another one.

Elizabeth Kolbert
About This Quote

This quote is often misused by people who are trying to make an argument. They are saying that historical events are specially orchestrated to occur at the right time in order to create the effect they are trying to achieve. For example, if a person wants to prove that aliens have been visiting this planet for centuries, they might argue that there’s a perfect coincidence between multiple UFO sightings and the recent discovery of an alien body.

Source: The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History

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