--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Anyone who reads history at all knows…" description: "\"“Anyone who reads history at all knows that the passionate and powerful convictions of one century usually seem absurd, extraordinary, to the next. The..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d9/doris-lessing-501_faith_anyone-who-reads-history-at-all-knows-th_984547.jpg" --- # Anyone who reads history at all knows that the passionate… ![“Anyone who reads history at all knows that the passionate and powerful convictions of one century usually seem absurd, extraordinary, to the next. There is no epoch in history that seems to us as it must have to the people who lived through it. What we live through, in any age, is the effect on us…” quote by Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d9/doris-lessing-501_faith_anyone-who-reads-history-at-all-knows-th_984547.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d9/doris-lessing-501_faith_anyone-who-reads-history-at-all-knows-th_984547.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d9/doris-lessing-501_faith_anyone-who-reads-history-at-all-knows-th_984547.jpg) > ““Anyone who reads history at all knows that the passionate and powerful convictions of one century usually seem absurd, extraordinary, to the next. There is no epoch in history that seems to us as it must have to the people who lived through it. What we live through, in any age, is the effect on us of mass emotions and of social conditions from which it is almost impossible to detach ourselves. Often the mass emotions are those which seem the noblest, best and most beautiful. And yet, inside a year, five years, a decade, five decades, people will be asking, “How could they have believed that?” because events will have taken place that will have banished the said mass emotions to the dustbin of history. To”” [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Historical perspectives shift as societies evolve, making once‑widely held beliefs appear absurd to later generations. **In simple terms:** Ideas once common can seem strange later. Key Takeaway Question assumptions and seek context. Themes history perspective change culture emotion Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - education - political analysis - personal reflection - media criticism Key Concepts relativism social construction collective memory Questions to Reflect On - How do current beliefs seem to future generations? - What role do emotions play in shaping history? A Different Perspective Mass emotions can be manipulated, leading to misguided actions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Emotions Dustbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions-dustbin-1976038/) [Emotions Noblest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions-noblest-1976036/) [Emotions Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotions-social-1976037/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Five years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five-years/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-people-357840/) [Mass Emotions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mass-emotions-1976035/) ## Related quotes > [Often the mass emotions are those which seem the noblest, best and most beautiful. And yet, inside a year, five years, a decade, five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/often-the-mass-emotions-are-those-which-seem-the-noblest-best-and/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [Commercial jazz, soap opera, pulp fiction, comic strips, the movies set the images, mannerisms, standards, and aims of the urban masses. In one way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-wright-mills/commercial-jazz-soap-opera-pulp-fiction-comic-strips-the-movies-set/) [C. Wright Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-wright-mills/) > [History is full of people who thought they were right -- absolutely right, completely right, without a shadow of a doubt. And because history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-barrow/history-is-full-of-people-who-thought-they-were-right-absolutely/) [John D. Barrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-barrow/) > [I read more and more and I came across this character, Caroline Weldon. Sometimes in history, you find these people that no one would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-knight/i-read-more-and-more-and-i-came-across-this-character-caroline-weldon/) [Steven Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-knight/) > [History is full of people with great ideas, but leaders also need to ensure their visions become reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-moulton/history-is-full-of-people-with-great-ideas-but-leaders-also-need-to/) [Seth Moulton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-moulton/) > [Essentially any history we have is just a history of aristocrats. We don't have any history of people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-fairfield/essentially-any-history-we-have-is-just-a-history-of-aristocrats-we/) [Frank Fairfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-fairfield/) > [Social history might be defined negatively as the history of a people with the politics left out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-m-trevelyan/social-history-might-be-defined-negatively-as-the-history-of-a-people/) [G. M. Trevelyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-m-trevelyan/) > [One of the rules of history is that people do not write about what is too obvious to mention. 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How do I translate for you the name of this town as it seems to me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-lord/names-are-very-important-for-humans-aren-t-they-how-do-i-translate/) [Karen Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-lord/) > [On my reading of history people who want to bring us the best are usually the people we ought to be afraid of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-jamieson/on-my-reading-of-history-people-who-want-to-bring-us-the-best-are/) [Dale Jamieson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-jamieson/) > [The history of the Indians begins with the arrival of the Europeans. The history of the People begins with the beginning of the history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-trudell/the-history-of-the-indians-begins-with-the-arrival-of-the-europeans/) [John Trudell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-trudell/) ## More by Doris Lessing > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“In the morning, when she wishes me to wake, she crouches on my chest, and pats my face with her paw. Or, if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/in-the-morning-when-she-wishes-me-to-wake-she-crouches-on-my-chest/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [You know, whenever women make imaginary female kingdoms in literature, they are always very permissive, to use the jargon word, and easy and generous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/you-know-whenever-women-make-imaginary-female-kingdoms-in-literature/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [There is only one real sin and that is to persuade oneself that the second best is anything but second best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/there-is-only-one-real-sin-and-that-is-to-persuade-oneself-that-the/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“She was using the water as she had used the fruit earlier—to calm herself, to assure herself of the possibility of normality. 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I've been much happier unmarried than married.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/i-do-not-think-that-marriage-is-one-of-my-talents-i-ve-been-much/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [I haven't got the energy to write now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/i-haven-t-got-the-energy-to-write-now/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [What really fascinates me is this need that is so strong now that if you read a work of the imagination you instantly have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/what-really-fascinates-me-is-this-need-that-is-so-strong-now-that-if/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“The charge that the United Nations are using bacteriological warfare in Korea cannot be dismissed merely because it would be insane.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/the-charge-that-the-united-nations-are-using-bacteriological-warfare/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [What I did have, which others perhaps didn't, was a capacity for sticking at it, which really is the point, not the talent at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/what-i-did-have-which-others-perhaps-didn-t-was-a-capacity-for/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [The human community is evolving... . We can survive anything you care to mention. We are supremely equipped to survive, to adapt and even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/the-human-community-is-evolving-we-can-survive-anything-you-care-to/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [So love is rest? The cosy corner? The little nook? Sometimes it ought to be. Sometimes it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/so-love-is-rest-the-cosy-corner-the-little-nook-sometimes-it-ought-to/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) [Explore all 508 Doris Lessing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) ## More Faith quotes > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. 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For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [Keep the faith, and keep going strong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/keep-the-faith-and-keep-going-strong/) [Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) [Riffat Hassan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riffat-hassan/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Holiness sincerity, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/holiness-sincerity-and-faith/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“The only limitations for your life are the limiting beliefs in your mind. —Matt Morris”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-morris-1/the-only-limitations-for-your-life-are-the-limiting-beliefs-in-your/) [Matt Morris (1](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-morris-1/) > [“Just because your faith is shaken doesn’t mean the faith is shaken. 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