The German philosopher Walter Benjamin had the curious notion that we could change the past. For most of us, the past is fixed while the future is open.

Summary

In this quote, it is explained that Walter Benjamin, a German philosopher, held an unusual belief that one could alter the past. Generally, people tend to view the past as unchangeable and the future as uncertain and changeable. Benjamin's idea suggests that contrary to this notion, it might be possible to influence or reshape the events that have already taken place, challenging the commonly accepted understanding of time and causality.

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