--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In my opinion we learn nothing from…" description: "\"In my opinion we learn nothing from history except the infinite variety of men's behaviour. We study it, as we listen to music or read poetry, for plea..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/732/a-j-p-taylor-14528_behaviour_in-my-opinion-we-learn-nothing-from-hist_2309906.png" --- # In my opinion we learn nothing from history except the… ![“In my opinion we learn nothing from history except the infinite variety of men's behaviour. We study it, as we listen to music or read poetry, for pleasure, not for instruction.” quote by A. J. P. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/732/a-j-p-taylor-14528_behaviour_in-my-opinion-we-learn-nothing-from-hist_2309906.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/732/a-j-p-taylor-14528_behaviour_in-my-opinion-we-learn-nothing-from-hist_2309906.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/732/a-j-p-taylor-14528_behaviour_in-my-opinion-we-learn-nothing-from-hist_2309906.png) > “In my opinion we learn nothing from history except the infinite variety of men's behaviour. We study it, as we listen to music or read poetry, for pleasure, not for instruction.” [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 offers endless examples of human actions, but its value lies in enjoyment rather than direct lessons. **In simple terms:** History shows many behaviors, enjoyed for pleasure. Key Takeaway Appreciate history as art, not a manual. Themes history human nature pleasure learning Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - reading literature - listening to music - studying past events - teaching Key Concepts pluralism cultural appreciation Questions to Reflect On - How does treating history as art change your perspective? - Can enjoyment coexist with learning? A Different Perspective It may ignore practical lessons for future decisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behaviour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behaviour/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Listening to music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listening-to-music/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Variety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/variety/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [Life moves fast. As much as you can learn from your history, you have to move forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-vedder/life-moves-fast-as-much-as-you-can-learn-from-your-history-you-have/) [Eddie Vedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-vedder/) > [What we learn from History is that no one learns from History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/what-we-learn-from-history-is-that-no-one-learns-from-history/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [It's very scary to me that people actually think we should just follow our leaders. If we can't learn from our history, we're nowhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-maines/it-s-very-scary-to-me-that-people-actually-think-we-should-just/) [Natalie Maines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-maines/) > [“It is also more than likely that women invented that most fundamental of all material technologies, without which civilization could not have evolved: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riane-eisler/it-is-also-more-than-likely-that-women-invented-that-most-fundamental/) [Riane Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riane-eisler/) > [“The centuries of capitalism were held to have produced nothing of value. One could not learn history from architecture any more than one could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/the-centuries-of-capitalism-were-held-to-have-produced-nothing-of/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [Don't forget about the past, learn from it, or the history have a ways of repeating it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ngan-hoai-tran-vo/don-t-forget-about-the-past-learn-from-it-or-the-history-have-a-ways/) [Ngan Hoai Tran Vo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ngan-hoai-tran-vo/) > [If we do not learn from history, we shall be compelled to relive it. True. But if we do not change the future, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-toffler/if-we-do-not-learn-from-history-we-shall-be-compelled-to-relive-it/) [Alvin Toffler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-toffler/) > [If people could learn history, what lessons it might teach us!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/if-people-could-learn-history-what-lessons-it-might-teach-us/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [I don't think it's such a bad idea that people learn the same history in school. I think it tends to ground people and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-christgau/i-don-t-think-it-s-such-a-bad-idea-that-people-learn-the-same-history/) [Robert Christgau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-christgau/) > [If you want to learn about the history of a people, eat their food and drink their beverages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clemantine-wamariya/if-you-want-to-learn-about-the-history-of-a-people-eat-their-food-and/) [Clemantine Wamariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clemantine-wamariya/) > [If I hadn't become a professional basketball player, I would have become a history teacher. There's so much to learn from history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kareem-abdul-jabbar/if-i-hadn-t-become-a-professional-basketball-player-i-would-have/) [Kareem Abdul-Jabbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kareem-abdul-jabbar/) > [Learn from history or you're doomed to repeat it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/learn-from-history-or-you-re-doomed-to-repeat-it/) [Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/) > [“In history, as in traveling, men usually see only what they already had in their own minds; and few learn much from history, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/in-history-as-in-traveling-men-usually-see-only-what-they-already-had/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [I would like to invest more of my brain space in understanding the history of my city, because whenever I learn about the history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keegan-michael-key/i-would-like-to-invest-more-of-my-brain-space-in-understanding-the/) [Keegan-Michael Key](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keegan-michael-key/) ## 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 Behaviour quotes > [Nobody has the right to put another under such a difficulty that he must either hurt the person by telling the truth or hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/nobody-has-the-right-to-put-another-under-such-a-difficulty-that-he/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“Do you keep pace with those around you, or do you decide yourself just how you will live your life? The truth is...only you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/do-you-keep-pace-with-those-around-you-or-do-you-decide-yourself-just/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [I don't see much future for the Americans ... it's a decayed country. And they have their racial problem, and the problem of social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-don-t-see-much-future-for-the-americans-it-s-a-decayed-country-and/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [“To live without any regret is to act right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/to-live-without-any-regret-is-to-act-right/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [High testosterone levels have been proven to make men more likely to commit crimes. The tendency in men toward risky behaviour keeps turning up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-stark/high-testosterone-levels-have-been-proven-to-make-men-more-likely-to/) [Rodney Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-stark/) > [No one likes to admit they are racist or bear prejudices. Nor do they even like to be open and honest when they witness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-jacques/no-one-likes-to-admit-they-are-racist-or-bear-prejudices-nor-do-they/) [Martin Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-jacques/) > [I think it's a very central tenet to it yes, it is. I can't bear it, I can't bear inequality, I can't bear bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-suzman/i-think-it-s-a-very-central-tenet-to-it-yes-it-is-i-can-t-bear-it-i/) [Janet Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-suzman/) > [Look, I was only given a year or two to come up with tunes for this record, and when all but eight of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-gorrie/look-i-was-only-given-a-year-or-two-to-come-up-with-tunes-for-this/) Alan Gorrie > [Behaviour is a mirror in which everyone shows his image.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinesh/behaviour-is-a-mirror-in-which-everyone-shows-his-image/) [Vinesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinesh/) > [There's a wow factor associated with my name. It could be due to my work as well as my behaviour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prosenjit-chatterjee/there-s-a-wow-factor-associated-with-my-name-it-could-be-due-to-my/) [Prosenjit Chatterjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prosenjit-chatterjee/) > [The individualism of current economic theory is manifest in the purely self-interested behaviour it generally assumes. It has no real place for fairness, malevolence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-e-daly/the-individualism-of-current-economic-theory-is-manifest-in-the/) [Herman E. Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-e-daly/) > [“There's no difference between a madman and a professor...it should be clear to you in the way they dress, act and think.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/there-s-no-difference-between-a-madman-and-a-professor-it-should-be/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [Modern man, seeking a middle position in the evaluation of sense impression and thought, can, following Plato , interpret the process of understanding nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/modern-man-seeking-a-middle-position-in-the-evaluation-of-sense/) [Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) > [“I think this is one bad side of a mirror; it helps us to see the reflection of the effects of our own actions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/i-think-this-is-one-bad-side-of-a-mirror-it-helps-us-to-see-the/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [A lot of celebrities just want money, fame, power, fancy cars, houses all over the world and have people BOW DOWN to them. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-manson/a-lot-of-celebrities-just-want-money-fame-power-fancy-cars-houses-all/) [Shirley Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-manson/) [Browse all 696 Behaviour quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behaviour/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In my opinion we learn nothing from history except the infinite variety of men's behaviour. We study it, as we listen to music or read poetry, for pleasure, not for instruction.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "A. J. P. 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