Memories Quote by Alan Moore
““Remembering's dangerous. I find the past such a worrying, anxious place. "The Past Tense," I suppose you'd call it. Memory's so treacherous. One moment you're lost in a carnival of delights, with poignant childhood aromas, the flashing neon of puberty, all that sentimental candy-floss... the next, it leads you somewhere you don't want to go. Somewhere dark and cold, filled with the damp ambiguous shapes of things you'd hoped were forgotten. Memories can be vile, repulsive little brutes. Like children I suppose. But can we live without them? Memories are what our reason is based upon. If we can't face them, we deny reason itself! Although, why not? We aren't contractually tied down to rationality! There is no sanity clause! So when you find yourself locked onto an unpleasant train of thought, heading for the places in your past where the screaming is unbearable, remember there's always madness. Madness is the emergency exit… you can just step outside, and close the door on all those dreadful things that happened. You can lock them away… forever.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Watchmen, Alan Moore, 1986
The quote warns that memories can be both comforting and tormenting, and suggests that confronting them is essential for rational thought, yet offers madness as an escape.
In simple terms: Memories can hurt, but they shape our reason; madness offers a way out.
Balance confronting memories with healthy coping.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- therapy sessions
- creative writing
- personal reflection
- mindfulness practice
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you decide when to confront or release a painful memory?
- What healthy alternatives exist to “madness” as an escape?
Escaping memories may hinder personal growth and self‑understanding.