--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People can burn archives; people can…" description: "\"People can burn archives; people can destroy evidence, but to say that history is perishable, that historical evidence is perishable, is different than..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7d/errol-morris-2512_archives_people-can-burn-archives-people-can-dest_1405649.jpg" --- # People can burn archives; people can destroy evidence, but… ![“People can burn archives; people can destroy evidence, but to say that history is perishable, that historical evidence is perishable, is different than saying that history is subjective.” quote by Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7d/errol-morris-2512_archives_people-can-burn-archives-people-can-dest_1405649.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7d/errol-morris-2512_archives_people-can-burn-archives-people-can-dest_1405649.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7d/errol-morris-2512_archives_people-can-burn-archives-people-can-dest_1405649.jpg) > “People can burn archives; people can destroy evidence, but to say that history is perishable, that historical evidence is perishable, is different than saying that history is subjective.” [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Physical evidence can be destroyed, but history’s subjectivity differs from its material fragility. **In simple terms:** History is subjective, not just fragile. Key Takeaway Question narratives and seek multiple perspectives. Themes history memory subjectivity Mood critical thoughtful Type academic inquisitive When to use this quote - archival research - legal investigations - education curricula Key Concepts philosophy documentary filmmaking Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate fact from interpretation? - What responsibilities do historians have to truth? A Different Perspective Subjectivity can be exploited to rewrite facts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Archives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/archives/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Subjective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subjective/) ## Related quotes > [History is so subjective. The teller of it determines it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-manuel-miranda/history-is-so-subjective-the-teller-of-it-determines-it/) [Lin-Manuel Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lin-manuel-miranda/) > [The value that I found in interviewing was for an educational experience, just to know that history itself is subjective, that you can't say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/the-value-that-i-found-in-interviewing-was-for-an-educational/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [I am myself persuaded, on the basis of extensive study of the historical evidence, that... the severity of each of the contractions - 1920-21,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/i-am-myself-persuaded-on-the-basis-of-extensive-study-of-the/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [“There is a great similarity between legal evidence and historical evidence. The only difference lies in the fact that in legal evidence it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teodoro-a-agoncillo/there-is-a-great-similarity-between-legal-evidence-and-historical/) [Teodoro A. Agoncillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teodoro-a-agoncillo/) > [One of the great things about history is that it sort of isn't a done deal - ever. The historical texts and the historical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/one-of-the-great-things-about-history-is-that-it-sort-of-isn-t-a-done/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [“In my qualified opinion as a Biblical scholar, there is 'massive' and overwhelming historical evidence that the New Testament manuscripts are in fact reliable."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-alan-woods/in-my-qualified-opinion-as-a-biblical-scholar-there-is-massive-and/) [R. Alan Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-alan-woods/) > [Fear has a far greater grasp on human action than the impressive weight of historical evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-siegel/fear-has-a-far-greater-grasp-on-human-action-than-the-impressive/) [Jeremy Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-siegel/) > [If, occasionally, historical evidence does not square with formulated laws, it should be remembered that a law is but a deduction from experience and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-velikovsky/if-occasionally-historical-evidence-does-not-square-with-formulated/) [Immanuel Velikovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-velikovsky/) > [If at first you dont succeed,.. Destroy all evidence that you even tried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-faw/if-at-first-you-dont-succeed-destroy-all-evidence-that-you-even-tried/) Amber Faw > [Try till you succeed...if you don't succeed once, then destroy all evidence of the fact that you tried!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/try-till-you-succeed-if-you-don-t-succeed-once-then-destroy-all/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-destroy-all-evidence-that-you-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried." From Head Over Heels, by Jill Shalvis”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-destroy-all-evidence-that-you-tried-2/) [jill shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/) > [If at first you dont succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-at-first-you-dont-succeed-destroy-all-evidence-that-you-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you ever tried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-mckeeby/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-destroy-all-evidence-that-you-ever-tried/) Phoebe McKeeby > [You can destroy the evidence, but you cant destroy the memories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-destroy-the-evidence-but-you-cant-destroy-the-memories/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Errol Morris > [God is greater than anything that man can do or has done. He is not undone by just a train of powder. "Our God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/god-is-greater-than-anything-that-man-can-do-or-has-done-he-is-not/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [In the case of The Thin Blue Line, I was surprised actually by many things. I was shooting down in Texas where the actual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/in-the-case-of-the-thin-blue-line-i-was-surprised-actually-by-many/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [When 'The Thin Blue Line' came out, I was criticized by many people for using reenactments, as if I wasn't dedicated to the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/when-the-thin-blue-line-came-out-i-was-criticized-by-many-people-for/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [There is such a thing as truth, but we have a vested interest in not seeing it, in avoiding it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/there-is-such-a-thing-as-truth-but-we-have-a-vested-interest-in-not/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [Simply coming to the perpetrator and delivering the message is Nozick's definition of revenge. And in that sense, Adi is exacting revenge. When people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/simply-coming-to-the-perpetrator-and-delivering-the-message-is-nozick/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [The proper route to an understanding of the world is an examination of our errors about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/the-proper-route-to-an-understanding-of-the-world-is-an-examination/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [The chance that any given sentence is a lie, rather than a truth, I think, is fairly great. An intentional lie, a self-deception, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/the-chance-that-any-given-sentence-is-a-lie-rather-than-a-truth-i/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [ Maybe \[killers\] is one of my real passions. Why deny it? ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/maybe-killers-is-one-of-my-real-passions-why-deny-it/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [I envy certain writers, because there are writers who do go into a kind of different zone, where the writing isn't controlled anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/i-envy-certain-writers-because-there-are-writers-who-do-go-into-a/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [Right now, we live in bad times in this country, and the fact that there are filmmakers addressing political and social issues is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/right-now-we-live-in-bad-times-in-this-country-and-the-fact-that/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [You can talk about a caption underneath a photograph being true or false, because there is a linguistic element. You can claim that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/you-can-talk-about-a-caption-underneath-a-photograph-being-true-or/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [The fact that the world is utterly insane makes it tolerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/the-fact-that-the-world-is-utterly-insane-makes-it-tolerable/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [Appearing on the front page of the New York Times even given the state of papers today is still something that's seen by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/appearing-on-the-front-page-of-the-new-york-times-even-given-the/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [You can't tell by looking at a film-clip whether it is a drama or a documentary without knowing how it was produced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/you-can-t-tell-by-looking-at-a-film-clip-whether-it-is-a-drama-or-a/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [Tell me what's wrong with this idea: If you're selling to somebody, find someone like that person to sell to them. If you're trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/tell-me-what-s-wrong-with-this-idea-if-you-re-selling-to-somebody/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) [Explore all 163 Errol Morris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) ## More Archives quotes > [Research promoted by NARA within a major coalition of Federal and private sector research partners has at last demonstrated that an Electronic Records Archives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-weinstein/research-promoted-by-nara-within-a-major-coalition-of-federal-and/) [Allen Weinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-weinstein/) > [The archives recall not one single incriminating incident, not one drunken escapade, not one reported affair, not one spat with a team-mate or reporter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-atherton/the-archives-recall-not-one-single-incriminating-incident-not-one/) Michael Atherton > [The Carnegie Foundation is well aware of the fact that their reports frequently find their way to dusty archives in academic institutions, but occasionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-everett-koop/the-carnegie-foundation-is-well-aware-of-the-fact-that-their-reports/) [C. Everett Koop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-everett-koop/) > [I spent three years researching American Rose, research that included connecting with Gypsy's sister, the late actress June Havoc (I was the last person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-abbott/i-spent-three-years-researching-american-rose-research-that-included/) [Karen Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-abbott/) > [I've found myself moved by letters and diaries in archives as well as trashy, summer blockbusters. It's possible to make a connection with any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/i-ve-found-myself-moved-by-letters-and-diaries-in-archives-as-well-as/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [“It's really fine that you found a good archivist to do the basically difficult and at times harrowing work of cleaning out old papers.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-k-fisher-2/it-s-really-fine-that-you-found-a-good-archivist-to-do-the-basically/) [M.F.K. Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-k-fisher-2/) > [There was an intervention of the foreign states in the Russian Far East, Archangel of the West border of Russia. The foreign troops were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-semichastny/there-was-an-intervention-of-the-foreign-states-in-the-russian-far/) Vladimir Semichastny > [I have a website because it's an interesting tool, very - and quite unexpectedly - useful for my work. It's become an archive and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-howe/i-have-a-website-because-it-s-an-interesting-tool-very-and-quite/) [John Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-howe/) > [I woke up one day and I was like, "I don't have anything to save for myself for the future." That's when I started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-wu/i-woke-up-one-day-and-i-was-like-i-don-t-have-anything-to-save-for/) [Jason Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-wu/) > [I applied for funding to embark on an overseas field trip in Iceland, and spent six weeks there happily holed up in the national…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-kent/i-applied-for-funding-to-embark-on-an-overseas-field-trip-in-iceland/) [Hannah Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-kent/) > [With our blogs and tweets, digital cameras, and unlimited-gigabyte e-mail archives, participation in the online culture now means creating a trail of always present,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-foer/with-our-blogs-and-tweets-digital-cameras-and-unlimited-gigabyte-e/) [Joshua Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-foer/) > [Over the last two years, I have been able to comb through The Prince's archives. I have been free to read his journals, diaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dimbleby/over-the-last-two-years-i-have-been-able-to-comb-through-the-prince-s/) [Jonathan Dimbleby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dimbleby/) > [We may observe in some of the abrupt grounds we meet with, sections of great masses of strata, where it is as easy to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-may-observe-in-some-of-the-abrupt-grounds-we-meet-with-sections-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I went to the archives to see what Dumbo work there was, not for current film, but just for my love of animation. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sohn/i-went-to-the-archives-to-see-what-dumbo-work-there-was-not-for/) Peter Sohn > [Whether it's your own material or somebody else's material, it's essential that you identify with it thoroughly. It's like you want to archive it;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-stookey/whether-it-s-your-own-material-or-somebody-else-s-material-it-s/) [Paul Stookey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-stookey/) [Browse all 164 Archives quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/archives/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People can burn archives; people can destroy evidence, but to say that history is perishable, that historical evidence is perishable, is different than saying that history is subjective.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Errol Morris" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/people-can-burn-archives-people-can-destroy-evidence-but-to-say-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Archives" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/people-can-burn-archives-people-can-destroy-evidence-but-to-say-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7d/errol-morris-2512_archives_people-can-burn-archives-people-can-dest_1405649.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7d/errol-morris-2512_archives_people-can-burn-archives-people-can-dest_1405649.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b7d/errol-morris-2512_archives_people-can-burn-archives-people-can-dest_1405649.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People can burn archives; people can destroy evidence, but to say that history is perishable, that…” — Errol Morris", "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": "Errol Morris", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "People can burn archives; people can...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/people-can-burn-archives-people-can-destroy-evidence-but-to-say-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/people-can-burn-archives-people-can-destroy-evidence-but-to-say-that/#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 } } ] } ```