---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think that what happened is that we…"
description: "\"I think that what happened is that we grew up with the Holocaust within us. It turned us into harsh, emotionally incapable people who have become blind..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea0/eytan-fox-62828_abuse_i-think-that-what-happened-is-that-we-gr_3094664.jpg"
---

#  I think that what happened is that we grew up with the…

![“I think that what happened is that we grew up with the Holocaust within us. It turned us into harsh, emotionally incapable people who have become blind to what they are doing to other people. A lot of times, Holocaust abuse justifies terrible things done to the Palestinians. And you have to…” quote by Eytan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea0/eytan-fox-62828_abuse_i-think-that-what-happened-is-that-we-gr_3094664.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea0/eytan-fox-62828_abuse_i-think-that-what-happened-is-that-we-gr_3094664.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea0/eytan-fox-62828_abuse_i-think-that-what-happened-is-that-we-gr_3094664.jpg)

> “I think that what happened is that we grew up with the Holocaust within us. It turned us into harsh, emotionally incapable people who have become blind to what they are doing to other people. A lot of times, Holocaust abuse justifies terrible things done to the Palestinians. And you have to realize that what is going on is terrible, and that we are responsible, and we have to take responsibility - even if we are not completely responsible.”

[Eytan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eytan-fox/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Collective trauma of the Holocaust shapes identity, leading to emotional numbness and justification of new conflicts.

**In simple terms:** Historical trauma affects present attitudes and actions.

Key Takeaway

Address unresolved trauma to prevent repeating harm.

Themes

trauma identity responsibility

Mood

somber urgent empathetic

Type

political psychological

When to use this quote

- education
- peacebuilding
- intercultural dialogue
- personal healing

Key Concepts

Collective memory moral accountability

Questions to Reflect On

- What responsibilities do we bear for past atrocities?
- How can societies heal without denial?

A Different Perspective

Acknowledging trauma may not change entrenched power structures.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blind/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Grew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grew/) [Grew Holocaust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grew-holocaust-5336629/) [Grew up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grew-up/) [Happened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happened/) [Harsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harsh/) [Holocaust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holocaust/) [Holocaust Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holocaust-abuse-5336628/) [Holocaust Turned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holocaust-turned-5218187/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Incapable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incapable/) [Justify](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justify/) [Palestinian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/palestinian/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Realizing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realizing/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Responsible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsible/) [Taking responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taking-responsibility/) [Terrible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible/) [Terrible things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrible-things/) [Things done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-done/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Times Holocaust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times-holocaust-5336630/)

## Related quotes

> [Without me, Scrubs would be worse than the holocaust. But with me in it, it's turned into the lolocaust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/without-me-scrubs-would-be-worse-than-the-holocaust-but-with-me-in-it/)

[Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/)

> [Human experience shows that people, not organizations or management systems, get things done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyman-rickover/human-experience-shows-that-people-not-organizations-or-management/)

[Hyman Rickover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyman-rickover/)

> [Now the things done may not be evil or improper; they in fact may be good and godly (such as reading the Bible, praying,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/watchman-nee/now-the-things-done-may-not-be-evil-or-improper-they-in-fact-may-be/)

[Watchman Nee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/watchman-nee/)

> [ My intimate knowledge of the \[UN\] system allowed me to get things done despite the many obstacles. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/my-intimate-knowledge-of-the-un-system-allowed-me-to-get-things-done/)

[Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/)

> [Whether you agree or disagree with Barack Obama, he is getting some things done, though not in the way most Americans would prefer or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perry/whether-you-agree-or-disagree-with-barack-obama-he-is-getting-some/)

[Rick Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perry/)

> [Sometimes I catch myself doing something that I've already done. The more I've done, the more that's likely to happen. Then I just throw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-cockburn/sometimes-i-catch-myself-doing-something-that-i-ve-already-done-the/)

[Bruce Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-cockburn/)

> [By patience and determination, rather than by a harsh upsetting of tradition, we move toward our national aspirations… This is the way we get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newton-b-drury/by-patience-and-determination-rather-than-by-a-harsh-upsetting-of/)

[Newton B. Drury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newton-b-drury/)

> [Donald Trump is just a get-things-done kinda guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/donald-trump-is-just-a-get-things-done-kinda-guy/)

[Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/)

> [ I think that the important thing to know is, which is great about this country \[the USA\], when it comes to domestic issues, we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/i-think-that-the-important-thing-to-know-is-which-is-great-about-this/)

[Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/)

> [An entrepreneur... is a person of action, one who possesses an unnatural overload of two attributes: optimism and determination. Because entrepreneurs are optimistic, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-clifton/an-entrepreneur-is-a-person-of-action-one-who-possesses-an-unnatural/)

[Jim Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-clifton/)

> [We have not seen great things done in our time except by those who have been considered mean; the rest have failed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/we-have-not-seen-great-things-done-in-our-time-except-by-those-who/)

[Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/)

> [Success in business hinges mostly on the ability to get the important things done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/success-in-business-hinges-mostly-on-the-ability-to-get-the-important/)

[William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/)

> [Artists are people with a genius for finding a new answer, a new connection, or a new way of getting things done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/artists-are-people-with-a-genius-for-finding-a-new-answer-a-new/)

[Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/)

> [Don't you understand anything? Isn't it absolutely essential to keep a fierce Left and a fierce Right, both on their toes and each terrified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/don-t-you-understand-anything-isn-t-it-absolutely-essential-to-keep-a/)

[C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/)

> [I am somewhat influenced by the years that I've spent trying to actually get things done, whether it was reforming education in Arkansas or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-am-somewhat-influenced-by-the-years-that-i-ve-spent-trying-to/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

## More by Eytan Fox

> [It is so sad how hatred is a seed we planted in the hearts of kids. We are going to be working for years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eytan-fox/it-is-so-sad-how-hatred-is-a-seed-we-planted-in-the-hearts-of-kids-we/)

[Eytan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eytan-fox/)

> [What is important, what isn't important, and how do you clean yourself from all of the unimportant things. And then you can be content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eytan-fox/what-is-important-what-isn-t-important-and-how-do-you-clean-yourself/)

[Eytan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eytan-fox/)

> [We have to learn how to stop being afraid of people who are different than us, who are supposedly our enemies. We are taught…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eytan-fox/we-have-to-learn-how-to-stop-being-afraid-of-people-who-are-different/)

[Eytan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eytan-fox/)

> [In Israel, it always meant - and a lot of that is still true - there was only one kind of man you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eytan-fox/in-israel-it-always-meant-and-a-lot-of-that-is-still-true-there-was/)

[Eytan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eytan-fox/)

[Explore all 5 Eytan Fox quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eytan-fox/)

## More Abuse quotes

> [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/)

[Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/)

> [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/)

[Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/)

> [Being nice is okay,but don't allow anybody to abuse it...try to fight for your self when you know your on the right way...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-is-okay-but-don-t-allow-anybody-to-abuse-it-try-to-fight/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Build a bridge over shame by teaching kids about sexual abuse. Give them a chance to run to us should they encounter it. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-byers-ruch/build-a-bridge-over-shame-by-teaching-kids-about-sexual-abuse-give/)

[Carolyn Byers Ruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-byers-ruch/)

> [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/)

[Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/)

> [“The sole reason I stand to open it up now is that lots of people who are in pain just like I was, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-sole-reason-i-stand-to-open-it-up-now-is-that-lots-of-people-who/)

[Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/)

> [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/)

[Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/)

> [I have a theory that all abuse, no matter what kind of abuse it is, is foremost an assault on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-have-a-theory-that-all-abuse-no-matter-what-kind-of-abuse-it-is-is/)

[Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/)

> [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/)

[Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/)

> [Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/finally-the-scariest-thing-about-abuse-of-any-shape-or-form-is-in-my/)

[Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/)

> [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/)

[Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/)

> [“Stand up for yourself. Never give any one permission to abuse you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/stand-up-for-yourself-never-give-any-one-permission-to-abuse-you/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/)

[Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/)

> [“Words are free. It does not mean you should abuse them. Be kind with them. They will mirror your actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadinet-tekie/words-are-free-it-does-not-mean-you-should-abuse-them-be-kind-with/)

[Hadinet Tekie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadinet-tekie/)

> [My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/my-illness-is-one-often-characterized-by-dramatic-overspending-in-my/)

[Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/)

[Browse all 3,113 Abuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I think that what happened is that we grew up with the Holocaust within us. It turned us into harsh, emotionally incapable people who have become blind to what they are doing to other people. A lot of times, Holocaust abuse justifies terrible things done to the Palestinians. And you have to realize that what is going on is terrible, and that we are responsible, and we have to take responsibility - even if we are not completely responsible.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Eytan Fox"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eytan-fox/i-think-that-what-happened-is-that-we-grew-up-with-the-holocaust/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Abuse"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eytan-fox/i-think-that-what-happened-is-that-we-grew-up-with-the-holocaust/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea0/eytan-fox-62828_abuse_i-think-that-what-happened-is-that-we-gr_3094664.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea0/eytan-fox-62828_abuse_i-think-that-what-happened-is-that-we-gr_3094664.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea0/eytan-fox-62828_abuse_i-think-that-what-happened-is-that-we-gr_3094664.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I think that what happened is that we grew up with the Holocaust within us. It turned us into harsh…” — Eytan Fox",
                "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": "Eytan Fox",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eytan-fox/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I think that what happened is...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eytan-fox/i-think-that-what-happened-is-that-we-grew-up-with-the-holocaust/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eytan-fox/i-think-that-what-happened-is-that-we-grew-up-with-the-holocaust/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
