Surely it is foolish to hate facts. The struggle against the past is a futile struggle. Acceptance seems so much more like wisdom. I know all this. And yet there are some facts that one must never, never accept. This is not merely an emotional matter. The reason that one must hate certain facts is that one must prepare for the possibility of their return. If the past were really past, then one might permit oneself an attitude of acceptance, and come away from the study of history with a feeling of serenity. But the past is often only an earlier instantiation of the evil in our hearts. It is not precisely the case that history repeats itself. We repeat history–or we do not repeat it, if we choose to stand in the way of its repetition. For this reason, it is one of the purposes of the study of history that we learn to oppose it. Leon Wieseltier
About This Quote

History is not just a record of the past. The study of history also helps us learn from mistakes in the past. Many people are quick to point out the flaws in their own life, but are unwilling to learn from these mistakes. Others are quick to make excuses for their own mistakes, but are quick to learn from the mistakes of others. History also shows us that it is possible to learn from mistakes, even when there is no one else who can help you.

Source: Kaddish

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