--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Every historian loves the past or should…" description: "\"Every historian loves the past or should do. If not, he has mistaken his vocation; but it is a short step from loving the past to regretting that it ha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9b/a-j-p-taylor-14528_belief_every-historian-loves-the-past-or-should_1818960.png" --- # Every historian loves the past or should do. If not, he… ![“Every historian loves the past or should do. If not, he has mistaken his vocation; but it is a short step from loving the past to regretting that it has ever changed. Conservatism is our greatest trade-risk; and we run psychoanalysts close in the belief that the only "normal" people are those who…” quote by A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9b/a-j-p-taylor-14528_belief_every-historian-loves-the-past-or-should_1818960.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9b/a-j-p-taylor-14528_belief_every-historian-loves-the-past-or-should_1818960.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a9b/a-j-p-taylor-14528_belief_every-historian-loves-the-past-or-should_1818960.png) > “Every historian loves the past or should do. If not, he has mistaken his vocation; but it is a short step from loving the past to regretting that it has ever changed. Conservatism is our greatest trade-risk; and we run psychoanalysts close in the belief that the only "normal" people are those who cause no trouble either to themselves or anybody else.” [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. History requires love for the past, yet clinging to it can cause regret when change occurs; balance reverence with adaptability. **In simple terms:** Love history but accept change. Key Takeaway Embrace the past, stay adaptable. Themes history conservatism change identity Mood reflective analytical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - academic research - policy making - personal growth Key Concepts historical perspective psychology risk management Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance respect for tradition with embracing change? - What risks arise from resisting societal shifts? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on nostalgia can hinder progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Conservatism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservatism/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Trade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trade/) [Vocation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vocation/) ## Related quotes > [Regretting your exs and regretting your mistakes is regretting your past, and by regretting mistakes, choices, and situations, you also regret feelings, emotions and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carniel-dunlop/regretting-your-exs-and-regretting-your-mistakes-is-regretting-your/) [Carniel Dunlop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carniel-dunlop/) > [Psychoanalysts believe that the only 'normal' people are those who cause no trouble either to themselves or anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/psychoanalysts-believe-that-the-only-normal-people-are-those-who-2/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [Psychoanalysts believe that the only "normal" people are those who cause not trouble to either themselves or anyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/psychoanalysts-believe-that-the-only-normal-people-are-those-who/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [I think because I was the first Chinese player to win a grand slam, people were thinking: 'She's not like normal people.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-na/i-think-because-i-was-the-first-chinese-player-to-win-a-grand-slam/) [Li Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-na/) > [The church is so subnormal that if it ever got back to the New Testament normal it would seem to people to be abnormal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vance-havner/the-church-is-so-subnormal-that-if-it-ever-got-back-to-the-new/) [Vance Havner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vance-havner/) > [I don't have to pad my resume. Normal people are astounded by my resume, because normal people never let their dreams get beyond their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-layfield/i-don-t-have-to-pad-my-resume-normal-people-are-astounded-by-my/) [John Layfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-layfield/) > [“Most psychologists believe that nature—genetics—accounts for about half of the reason why we tend to act the way we do. His point is simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/most-psychologists-believe-that-nature-genetics-accounts-for-about/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [“Normal people don’t know how lucky—how blessed—they are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-shan/normal-people-don-t-know-how-lucky-how-blessed-they-are/) [Darren Shan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-shan/) > [“The real secret, though, is that nobody belongs, whether they are natives or not. After expulsion from paradise all humans are in exile. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-codrescu/the-real-secret-though-is-that-nobody-belongs-whether-they-are/) [Andrei Codrescu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-codrescu/) > [I abhor crime novels in which the main character can behave however he or she pleases, or do things that normal people do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-abhor-crime-novels-in-which-the-main-character-can-behave-however/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Despite what you might think, NORMAL people do NOT cause problems, misfortunes, conflicts, distress or accidents. And when they do, they CAN apologize and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/despite-what-you-might-think-normal-people-do-not-cause-problems/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [“How have individuals been affected by the technological advances of recent years? Here is the answer to this question given by a philosopher-psychiatrist, Dr.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/how-have-individuals-been-affected-by-the-technological-advances-of/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [“Carol, I thought you didn't liked playing with the minds of normal people.” “Yes, but the press don't count as normal.” “She’s got you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-zakour/carol-i-thought-you-didn-t-liked-playing-with-the-minds-of-normal/) [John Zakour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-zakour/) > [The only normal people you know are the ones you dont know very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-normal-people-you-know-are-the-ones-you-dont-know-very-well/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Most conservatives - by which I mean normal people - have little conception of the aggressive and revolutionary force that confronts them. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-bethell/most-conservatives-by-which-i-mean-normal-people-have-little/) [Tom Bethell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-bethell/) ## More by A. J. P. Taylor > [Like most of those who study history, he (Napoleon III) learned from the mistakes of the past how to make new ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/like-most-of-those-who-study-history-he-napoleon-iii-learned-from-the/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [Human blunders usually do more to shape history than human wickedness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/human-blunders-usually-do-more-to-shape-history-than-human-wickedness/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [If men are to respect each other for what they are, they must cease to respect each other for what they own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/if-men-are-to-respect-each-other-for-what-they-are-they-must-cease-to/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [We are apt to say that a foreign policy is successful only when the country, or at any rate the governing class, is united…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/we-are-apt-to-say-that-a-foreign-policy-is-successful-only-when-the/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [A racing tipster who only reached Hitler's level of accuracy would not do well for his clients.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/a-racing-tipster-who-only-reached-hitler-s-level-of-accuracy-would/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [ If there had been a strong democratic sentiment in Germany, Hitler would never have come to power . \[Germans\] deserved what they got when… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/if-there-had-been-a-strong-democratic-sentiment-in-germany-hitler/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [Freedom does not always win. This is one of the bitterest lessons of history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/freedom-does-not-always-win-this-is-one-of-the-bitterest-lessons-of/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [There is nothing more agreeable in life than to make peace with the establishment and nothing more corrupting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/there-is-nothing-more-agreeable-in-life-than-to-make-peace-with-the/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [George VI in the conventional parlance was a Good King who sacrificed his life to his sense of duty. If we are to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/george-vi-in-the-conventional-parlance-was-a-good-king-who-sacrificed/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [One of the penalties of being president of the United States is that you must subsist for four years without drinking anything except Californian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/one-of-the-penalties-of-being-president-of-the-united-states-is-that/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [Perfect soldier, perfect gentleman never gave offence to anyone not even the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/perfect-soldier-perfect-gentleman-never-gave-offence-to-anyone-not/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [No war is inevitable until it breaks out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/no-war-is-inevitable-until-it-breaks-out/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [We learn nothing from history except the infinite variety of men's behaviour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/we-learn-nothing-from-history-except-the-infinite-variety-of-men-s/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [In my opinion, most of the great men of the past were only there for the beer - the wealth, prestige and grandeur that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/in-my-opinion-most-of-the-great-men-of-the-past-were-only-there-for/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) > [Conformity may give you a quiet life; it may even bring you to a University Chair. But all change in history, all advance, comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-p-taylor/conformity-may-give-you-a-quiet-life-it-may-even-bring-you-to-a/) [A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) [Explore all 46 A. J. P. Taylor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-p-taylor/) ## More Belief quotes > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“MIND & GRIND Self-belief and hard work can propel you past more talented peers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamil-ali/mind-grind-self-belief-and-hard-work-can-propel-you-past-more/) [Kamil Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamil-ali/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [It took me 20 years of hard training to get the physique I have today. what you need is what i had - BELIEF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-warren/it-took-me-20-years-of-hard-training-to-get-the-physique-i-have-today/) [Branch Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-warren/) > [“Here is a fundamental difference between the man of faith and the man of unbelief. The unbeliever is 'of the world', judges everything by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/here-is-a-fundamental-difference-between-the-man-of-faith-and-the-man/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [“She herself vacillated when it came to belief. She did not particularly believe in God. Or, rather, she didn't believe in a particular God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/she-herself-vacillated-when-it-came-to-belief-she-did-not/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [“Rigid traditions capture souls prisons of spiritual thought man’s religion has captured a god grown too small and very weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle/rigid-traditions-capture-souls-prisons-of-spiritual-thought-man-s/) [David W Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. 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