--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: 2011 is one of those years that…" description: "\"2011 is one of those years that historians are likely to look back on as a 'hinge.' And the truth, at once frightening and exhilarating, is that we don..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/333/david-ignatius-3910_door_2011-is-one-of-those-years-that-historia_141368.png" --- # 2011 is one of those years that historians are likely to… ![“2011 is one of those years that historians are likely to look back on as a 'hinge.' And the truth, at once frightening and exhilarating, is that we don't know yet which way the door will swing.” quote by David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/333/david-ignatius-3910_door_2011-is-one-of-those-years-that-historia_141368.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/333/david-ignatius-3910_door_2011-is-one-of-those-years-that-historia_141368.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/333/david-ignatius-3910_door_2011-is-one-of-those-years-that-historia_141368.png) > “2011 is one of those years that historians are likely to look back on as a 'hinge.' And the truth, at once frightening and exhilarating, is that we don't know yet which way the door will swing.” [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The year 2011 may be seen as a pivotal moment whose future impact is uncertain and both scary and exciting. **In simple terms:** 2011 could be a turning point, uncertain and thrilling. Key Takeaway Stay aware of emerging trends. Themes history uncertainty change future politics Mood anxious hopeful Type analytical speculative When to use this quote - political analysis - future forecasting - strategic planning Key Concepts pivot points historical cycles geopolitics Questions to Reflect On - How might we prepare for multiple possible outcomes? - What signs indicate which direction history will take? A Different Perspective Predictions are speculative and can bias perception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Door](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/door/) [Frightening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frightening/) [Hinge Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hinge-truth-1597218/) [Historians Likely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historians-likely-1597216/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Look](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/look/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth Frightening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-frightening-1597217/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) [Years Historians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-historians-1597219/) ## Related quotes > [“That in itself is scary, but I have learned it is important to tell the truth, even if it is frightening.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-legrand/that-in-itself-is-scary-but-i-have-learned-it-is-important-to-tell/) [Claire Legrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-legrand/) > [if a person wishes to achieve peace of mind and happiness then they should acquire faith, but if they want to be a disciple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-a-person-wishes-to-achieve-peace-of-mind-and-happiness-then-they/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Historians will likely give Obama credit for steering the country away from the brink of economic collapse in 2009.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-fournier/historians-will-likely-give-obama-credit-for-steering-the-country/) [Ron Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-fournier/) > [“In a period of less than 150 years, to progress from slavery to Pennsylvania Avenue speaks volumes about this family and our nation. 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But like all important works of nonfiction, it goes further… This book is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/le-ly-hayslip/a-great-read-an-exciting-frightening-account-of-organized-crime-today/) [Le Ly Hayslip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/le-ly-hayslip/) > [Throughout human history, as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are, or where we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/throughout-human-history-as-our-species-has-faced-the-frightening/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [I wish that I had known back then that a mastery of process would lead to a product. Then I probably wouldn't have found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/i-wish-that-i-had-known-back-then-that-a-mastery-of-process-would/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) ## More by David Ignatius > [Panic is a natural human response to danger, but it's one that severely compounds the risk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/panic-is-a-natural-human-response-to-danger-but-it-s-one-that/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [Global warming ... may be a plaintiff lawyer's dream. And it's interesting, in a perverse way, to imagine how a jury in 2050 might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/global-warming-may-be-a-plaintiff-lawyer-s-dream-and-it-s-interesting/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [Fear brings out the best in some people and the worst in others. 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But the brave officers who staff American posts in crisis zones know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/big-mistakes-were-made-in-benghazi-and-people-should-be-held/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [Intelligence services exist to do things that are illegal abroad. They exist to tell lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/intelligence-services-exist-to-do-things-that-are-illegal-abroad-they/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [Foreign policy is about the execution of ideas as much as their formulation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/foreign-policy-is-about-the-execution-of-ideas-as-much-as-their/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [The best restraint is old-fashioned market discipline, in which financial traders know that they, personally, will lose a ton of money if they take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/the-best-restraint-is-old-fashioned-market-discipline-in-which/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [CIA officers aren't idiots. They knew they were heading into deep water - legally and morally - when they signed up for the interrogation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/cia-officers-aren-t-idiots-they-knew-they-were-heading-into-deep/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [Making economic policy isn't a popularity contest, especially when financial markets are in a panic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/making-economic-policy-isn-t-a-popularity-contest-especially-when/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > ['Cyber-security' is one of those hot topics that has launched a thousand seminars and strategy papers without producing much in the way of policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/cyber-security-is-one-of-those-hot-topics-that-has-launched-a/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) > [Retrospective analysis is not a useful guide to current problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ignatius/retrospective-analysis-is-not-a-useful-guide-to-current-problems/) [David Ignatius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) [Explore all 118 David Ignatius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ignatius/) ## More Door quotes > [Strange - is it not? 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Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [I won't be managing the Mets. 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