--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: History, in the end, becomes a form of…" description: "\"History, in the end, becomes a form of irony.\" — Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr-14015_ends_history-in-the-end-becomes-a-form-of-iro_2940365.png" --- # History, in the end, becomes a form of irony. ![“History, in the end, becomes a form of irony.” quote by Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr-14015_ends_history-in-the-end-becomes-a-form-of-iro_2940365.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr-14015_ends_history-in-the-end-becomes-a-form-of-iro_2940365.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr-14015_ends_history-in-the-end-becomes-a-form-of-iro_2940365.png) > “History, in the end, becomes a form of irony.” [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. History often repeats itself with ironic twists. **In simple terms:** History is ironic. Key Takeaway Learn from past ironies. Themes history irony politics Mood reflective analytical Type historical philosophical When to use this quote - policy analysis - educational curricula - public discourse Key Concepts cyclical patterns human behavior Questions to Reflect On - What patterns repeat in modern times? - How can irony inform future decisions? A Different Perspective Irony may oversimplify complex events. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Irony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irony/) ## Related quotes > [Is it possible to put an end to a form of human behavior which has existed throughout history by means of photography?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nachtwey/is-it-possible-to-put-an-end-to-a-form-of-human-behavior-which-has-2/) [James Nachtwey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nachtwey/) > [The Bible teaches that history began in the Middle East, and someday history will end in the Middle East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/the-bible-teaches-that-history-began-in-the-middle-east-and-someday/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [If patriarchy had a specific beginning in history, it can also have an end](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-mies/if-patriarchy-had-a-specific-beginning-in-history-it-can-also-have-an/) [Maria Mies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-mies/) > [Great romances in history end in death. Romeo and Juliet, JFK and Jackie, Siegfried and Froi,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinnie/great-romances-in-history-end-in-death-romeo-and-juliet-jfk-and/) Vinnie > [My goal was to show the history of the end of the Cold War through both sides - the U.S. side and the Soviet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-hoffman/my-goal-was-to-show-the-history-of-the-end-of-the-cold-war-through/) [David E. Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-hoffman/) > [There has yet to be a human to survive a span of history without at least one end of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/there-has-yet-to-be-a-human-to-survive-a-span-of-history-without-at/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [“recent events compel us to raise anew. From the beginning, the most serious and systematic attempts to write Universal Histories saw the central issue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-fukuyama/recent-events-compel-us-to-raise-anew-from-the-beginning-the-most/) [Francis Fukuyama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-fukuyama/) > [ The most widely discussed formulation of \[the One World model\] was the "end of history" thesis advanced by Francis Fukuyama. "We may be witnessing,"… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-p-huntington/the-most-widely-discussed-formulation-of-the-one-world-model-was-the/) [Samuel P. Huntington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-p-huntington/) > [History is the present. That's why every generation writes it anew. But what most people think of as history is its end product, myth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-doctorow/history-is-the-present-that-s-why-every-generation-writes-it-anew-but/) [E. L. Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-doctorow/) > [Before the end of Time will be the end of History. Before the end of History will be the end of Art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/before-the-end-of-time-will-be-the-end-of-history-before-the-end-of/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [When in our isolation we see our lives seeping away as a mere succession of moments, tossed meaninglessly about by accidents and overwhelming events;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-jaspers/when-in-our-isolation-we-see-our-lives-seeping-away-as-a-mere/) [Karl Jaspers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-jaspers/) > [“We need to think hard about what we really want so as to avoid endangering ourselves – especially now that we can not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/read-trepreneur/we-need-to-think-hard-about-what-we-really-want-so-as-to-avoid/) [Read trepreneur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/read-trepreneur/) > [“History, in the end, is only another kind of story, and stories are different from the truth. The truth is messy and chaotic and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-murray/history-in-the-end-is-only-another-kind-of-story-and-stories-are/) [Paul Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-murray/) > [History remains an open horizon that cannot be dismissed through appeals to the end of history or end of ideology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/history-remains-an-open-horizon-that-cannot-be-dismissed-through/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the western spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/far-out-in-the-uncharted-backwaters-of-the-unfashionable-end-of-the/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) ## More by Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [History is full of surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/history-is-full-of-surprises/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [The genius of impeachment lay in the fact that it could punish the man without punishing the office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/the-genius-of-impeachment-lay-in-the-fact-that-it-could-punish-the/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Every President reconstructs the Presidency to meet his own psychological needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/every-president-reconstructs-the-presidency-to-meet-his-own/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [The only President who clearly died of overwork was Polk, and that was a long time ago. Hoover, who worked intensely and humorlessly as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/the-only-president-who-clearly-died-of-overwork-was-polk-and-that-was/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Righteousness is easy in retrospect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/righteousness-is-easy-in-retrospect/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [The first rule of democracy is to distrust all leaders who begin to believe their own publicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/the-first-rule-of-democracy-is-to-distrust-all-leaders-who-begin-to/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Few secret undertakings ever did any nation any good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/few-secret-undertakings-ever-did-any-nation-any-good/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [In Defense of the World Order . . . U.S. soldiers would have to kill and die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/in-defense-of-the-world-order-u-s-soldiers-would-have-to-kill-and-die/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [In view of the tide of religiosity engulfing a once secular republic it is refreshing to be reminded by Freethinkers that free thought and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/in-view-of-the-tide-of-religiosity-engulfing-a-once-secular-republic/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [There is no more dangerous thing for a democracy than a foreign policy based on presidential preventive war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/there-is-no-more-dangerous-thing-for-a-democracy-than-a-foreign/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [If we are to survive, we must have ideas, vision, and courage. These things are rarely produced by committees. Everything that matters in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/if-we-are-to-survive-we-must-have-ideas-vision-and-courage-these/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [The military struggle may frankly be regarded for what it actually was, namely a war for independence, an armed attempt to imposethe views of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/the-military-struggle-may-frankly-be-regarded-for-what-it-actually/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Those who are convinced they have a monopoly on The Truth always feel that they are only saving the world when they slaughter the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/those-who-are-convinced-they-have-a-monopoly-on-the-truth-always-feel/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [There is far less to the Presidency, in terms of essential activity, than meets the eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/there-is-far-less-to-the-presidency-in-terms-of-essential-activity/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) [Explore all 48 Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) ## More Ends quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [The end is nothing; the road is all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/the-end-is-nothing-the-road-is-all/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Dating someone on the opposite end of the happy spectrum teaches you an incredible amount of patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pine/dating-someone-on-the-opposite-end-of-the-happy-spectrum-teaches-you/) [Chris Pine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pine/) > [What is history after all? History is facts which become lies in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/what-is-history-after-all-history-is-facts-which-become-lies-in-the/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [At the end of night, before you close your eyes, be content with what you've done and be proud of who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/at-the-end-of-night-before-you-close-your-eyes-be-content-with-what/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [it is the brevity of life which makes it tolerable; its experiences have value because they have an end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winifred-holtby/it-is-the-brevity-of-life-which-makes-it-tolerable-its-experiences/) [Winifred Holtby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winifred-holtby/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [Believe to the end, even if all men went astray and you were left the only one faithful; bring your offering even then and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/believe-to-the-end-even-if-all-men-went-astray-and-you-were-left-the/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [When the amount of change externally exceeds the amount of change internally, the end is in sight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/when-the-amount-of-change-externally-exceeds-the-amount-of-change/) [Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/) > [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-cannot-speak-but-he-judges-himself-with-his-will-or-against-his/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The beginning of love is all about the butterflies, but the end of it is when you can't get out of bed in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/the-beginning-of-love-is-all-about-the-butterflies-but-the-end-of-it/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) Browse all 20,790 Ends quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "History, in the end, becomes a form of irony.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/history-in-the-end-becomes-a-form-of-irony/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ends" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/history-in-the-end-becomes-a-form-of-irony/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr-14015_ends_history-in-the-end-becomes-a-form-of-iro_2940365.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr-14015_ends_history-in-the-end-becomes-a-form-of-iro_2940365.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/561/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr-14015_ends_history-in-the-end-becomes-a-form-of-iro_2940365.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“History, in the end, becomes a form of irony.” — Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "History, in the end, becomes a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/history-in-the-end-becomes-a-form-of-irony/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/history-in-the-end-becomes-a-form-of-irony/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```