[O]ne has to have endured a few decades before wanting, let alone needing, to embark on the project of recovering lost life. And I think it may be possible to review 'the chronicles of wasted time.' William Morris wrote in that men fight for things and then lose the battle, only to win it again in a shape and form that they had not expected, and then be compelled again to defend it under another name. We are all of us very good at self-persuasion and I strive to be alert to its traps, but a version of what Hegel called 'the cunning of history' is a parallel commentary that I fight to keep alive in my mind.

Summary

This quote suggests that it takes a considerable amount of time and life experience before one realizes the importance of reclaiming lost time. The author references William Morris' idea that people often fight for something, lose it, and then unexpectedly regain it in a different form, only to defend it once more under a new name. The quote implies that we must be aware of the persuasive narratives we create for ourselves and actively resist falling into their traps. The author also mentions Hegel's concept of the cunning of history, which they strive to remember and acknowledge as a parallel commentary to their own experiences.

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