The whole of world history often seems to me nothing more than a picture book which portrays humanity's most powerful and a senseless desire - the desire to forget. Does not each generation, by means of suppression, concealment, and ridicule, efface what the previous generation considered most important?

Summary

This quote suggests that throughout history, humanity has displayed a peculiar and perplexing tendency to forget and disregard valuable knowledge. The speaker perceives world history as a mere picture book, illustrating humans' strong inclination and irrational desire to erase important information. Each new generation, through suppression, concealment, and mockery, appears compelled to diminish the significance of what came before. This observation laments the recurring cycle of forgetting, where invaluable lessons and insights are continually ignored or dismissed by subsequent generations. It highlights the puzzling aspect of humanity's unceasing pursuit to erase its own vital past.

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