--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We're supposed to forget whatever…" description: "\"We're supposed to forget whatever happened in the past because 9/11 is where history begins. Okay, since 2001, how many wars have been started, how man..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c92/arundhati-roy-346_country_we-re-supposed-to-forget-whatever-happen_3073855.jpg" --- # We're supposed to forget whatever happened in the past… ![“We're supposed to forget whatever happened in the past because 9/11 is where history begins. Okay, since 2001, how many wars have been started, how many countries have been destroyed? So now ISIS is the new evil - but how did that evil begin? Is it more evil to do what ISIS is doing, which is to…” quote by Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c92/arundhati-roy-346_country_we-re-supposed-to-forget-whatever-happen_3073855.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c92/arundhati-roy-346_country_we-re-supposed-to-forget-whatever-happen_3073855.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c92/arundhati-roy-346_country_we-re-supposed-to-forget-whatever-happen_3073855.jpg) > “We're supposed to forget whatever happened in the past because 9/11 is where history begins. Okay, since 2001, how many wars have been started, how many countries have been destroyed? So now ISIS is the new evil - but how did that evil begin? Is it more evil to do what ISIS is doing, which is to go around massacring people - mainly, but not only, Shi'a - slitting throats? By the way, the US-backed militias are doing similar things, except they don't show beheadings of white folks on TV.” [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She critiques the selective memory of history that ignores ongoing conflicts and moral complexities. **In simple terms:** History isn’t only after 9/11; wars continue. Key Takeaway Question narratives and recognize hidden injustices. Themes history war media bias ethical responsibility Mood critical reflective Type analytical thought‑provoking When to use this quote - journalism - policy analysis - human rights advocacy - education curricula Key Concepts political theory propaganda moral relativism Questions to Reflect On - What narratives shape our view of recent wars? - How can we responsibly confront uncomfortable histories? A Different Perspective Complex geopolitics can’t be reduced to simple good‑vs‑evil. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Isis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isis/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Militia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/militia/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [ISIS is the new jihad - violent jihadist vanguard in the Middle East and globally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-flournoy/isis-is-the-new-jihad-violent-jihadist-vanguard-in-the-middle-east/) [Michele Flournoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-flournoy/) > [ We came in with the Internet, we came up with the Internet, and I think Secretary \[Hillary\] Clinton and myself would agree very much,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-came-in-with-the-internet-we-came-up-with-the-internet-and-i-think/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [ISIS is recruiting through the Internet. ISIS is using the Internet better than we are using the Internet, and it was our idea. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/isis-is-recruiting-through-the-internet-isis-is-using-the-internet/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I can only tell you there's a lot of bad things going on. They're chopping off heads in Syria, and they're chopping off heads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-can-only-tell-you-there-s-a-lot-of-bad-things-going-on-they-re/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [When they're shooting, when they're chopping off the heads of our people and other people, when they are chopping off the heads of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/when-they-re-shooting-when-they-re-chopping-off-the-heads-of-our/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In my humble opinion, propaganda is one of the most evil tools humans have used against humans throughout history to justify wars, justify atrocities,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-heineman/in-my-humble-opinion-propaganda-is-one-of-the-most-evil-tools-humans/) [Matthew Heineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-heineman/) > [The part of the philanthropist is indeed a dangerous one; and the man who would do his neighbour good must first study how not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/the-part-of-the-philanthropist-is-indeed-a-dangerous-one-and-the-man/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Avalanches of evil begin with a single pebble of sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/avalanches-of-evil-begin-with-a-single-pebble-of-sin/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [ Hillary Clinton talks about taking them \[ISIS\] out. She's been doing it a long time. She's been trying to take them out for a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/hillary-clinton-talks-about-taking-them-isis-out-she-s-been-doing-it/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The war in Afghanistan was fought for feminist reasons, and the Marines were really on this feminist mission. But today, all the women in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/the-war-in-afghanistan-was-fought-for-feminist-reasons-and-the/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Laws that forbid the carrying of arms disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/laws-that-forbid-the-carrying-of-arms-disarm-only-those-who-are-2/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [For an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/for-an-unarmed-man-may-be-attacked-with-greater-confidence-than-an/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/what-country-can-preserve-its-liberties-if-its-rulers-are-not-warned/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [As civil rulers, not having their duty to the people duly before them, may attempt to tyrannize,... The people are confirmed by the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tench-coxe/as-civil-rulers-not-having-their-duty-to-the-people-duly-before-them/) [Tench Coxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tench-coxe/) > [Laws that forbid the carrying of arms . . . disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/laws-that-forbid-the-carrying-of-arms-disarm-only-those-who-are/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) ## More by Arundhati Roy > [...As the disparity between the rich and the poor grows, the fight to corner resources is intensifying. To push through their "sweetheart deals," to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/as-the-disparity-between-the-rich-and-the-poor-grows-the-fight-to/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [In 2001, we were told that the war in Afghanistan was a feminist mission. The marines were liberating Afghan women from the Taliban. Can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/in-2001-we-were-told-that-the-war-in-afghanistan-was-a-feminist/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Poverty is a crime and the poor are terrorists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/poverty-is-a-crime-and-the-poor-are-terrorists/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Flat muscled and honey coloured. Sea secrets in his eyes. A silver raindrop in his ear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/flat-muscled-and-honey-coloured-sea-secrets-in-his-eyes-a-silver/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Fiction and non-fiction are only different techniques of story telling. For reasons I do not fully understand, fiction dances out of me. Non-fiction is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/fiction-and-non-fiction-are-only-different-techniques-of-story/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [NGOs have a complicated space in neoliberal politics. They are supposed to mop up the anger. Even when they are doing good work, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/ngos-have-a-complicated-space-in-neoliberal-politics-they-are/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [I've never been that person who thought that because I've written one novel, I should write another and another. It's only when there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/i-ve-never-been-that-person-who-thought-that-because-i-ve-written-one/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [It is such a supreme folly to believe that nuclear weapons are deadly only if they're used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/it-is-such-a-supreme-folly-to-believe-that-nuclear-weapons-are-deadly/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [I think one of the saddest things that's happening to literature is that it's getting over-simplified by this diet of simple political ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/i-think-one-of-the-saddest-things-that-s-happening-to-literature-is/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [The only dream worth having, I told her, is to dream that you will live while you're alive and die only when you're dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/the-only-dream-worth-having-i-told-her-is-to-dream-that-you-will-live/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [But what was there to say? Only that there were tears. Only that Quietness and Emptiness fitted together like stacked spoons. Only that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/but-what-was-there-to-say-only-that-there-were-tears-only-that/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Truly, there's no alternative to stupidity. Cretinism is the mother of fascism. I have no defence against it, really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/truly-there-s-no-alternative-to-stupidity-cretinism-is-the-mother-of/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“...the secret of the Great Stories is that they have no secrets. The Great Stories are the ones you have heard and want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/the-secret-of-the-great-stories-is-that-they-have-no-secrets-the/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“stilts, the ground floors given over to parking. It’s a good idea in this car-maddened city,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/stilts-the-ground-floors-given-over-to-parking-it-s-a-good-idea-in/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“Perhaps it’s true that things can change in a day. That a few dozen hours can affect the outcome of whole lifetimes. And that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/perhaps-it-s-true-that-things-can-change-in-a-day-that-a-few-dozen/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) [Explore all 628 Arundhati Roy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) ## More Country quotes > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. 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