--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was funny, he thought, how the ruins…" description: "\"“It was funny, he thought, how the ruins of the past shaped everything that came after.”\" — James S.A. Corey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/james-s-a-corey-861_past_it-was-funny-he-thought-how-the-ruins-of_374724.jpg" --- # It was funny, he thought, how the ruins of the past shaped… ![“It was funny, he thought, how the ruins of the past shaped everything that came after.” quote by James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/james-s-a-corey-861_past_it-was-funny-he-thought-how-the-ruins-of_374724.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/james-s-a-corey-861_past_it-was-funny-he-thought-how-the-ruins-of_374724.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/james-s-a-corey-861_past_it-was-funny-he-thought-how-the-ruins-of_374724.jpg) > ““It was funny, he thought, how the ruins of the past shaped everything that came after.”” [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Past ruins influence present events, shaping future outcomes. **In simple terms:** History shapes the present. Key Takeaway Learn from history to understand current trends. Themes history causality legacy Mood thoughtful curious Type reflective philosophical When to use this quote - urban planning - policy making - cultural studies - personal reflection Key Concepts systems theory historical analysis Questions to Reflect On - What past influences your current life? - How can we preserve valuable lessons? A Different Perspective Past may be misinterpreted or forgotten. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Ruins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruins/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Allegories are, in the realm of thought, what ruins are in the realm of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-benjamin/allegories-are-in-the-realm-of-thought-what-ruins-are-in-the-realm-of/) [Walter Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-benjamin/) > [The apartments of the rich are cabinets of curiosities: a conglomeration of classical antiquity, gothic, renaissance; Louis XIII... Something from every century but our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-de-musset/the-apartments-of-the-rich-are-cabinets-of-curiosities-a/) [Alfred de Musset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-de-musset/) > [Thought ruins the fun that the future has in store for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-ceaser/thought-ruins-the-fun-that-the-future-has-in-store-for-us/) [Evan Ceaser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-ceaser/) > [Don't regret your past...It has shaped you. Don't fear your future...It is yours to shape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-hansen/don-t-regret-your-past-it-has-shaped-you-don-t-fear-your-future-it-is/) Louise Hansen > [“He wanted to change her past, but even as he thought it, he realized it was her very past that had shaped her into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/he-wanted-to-change-her-past-but-even-as-he-thought-it-he-realized-it/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) > [“My past has shaped me, that's true of anyone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-k-lilley/my-past-has-shaped-me-that-s-true-of-anyone/) [R.K. Lilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-k-lilley/) > [“Not everything in your past qualifies to be called HISTORY; only the things in the past that shaped your FUTURE”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fela-durotoye/not-everything-in-your-past-qualifies-to-be-called-history-only-the/) [Fela Durotoye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fela-durotoye/) > [The shadow past is shaped by everything that never happened. Invisible, it melts the present like rain through karst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-michaels/the-shadow-past-is-shaped-by-everything-that-never-happened-invisible-2/) [Anne Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-michaels/) > [“You barely know me? Why, because you don’t know my favorite color? Because you don’t know about my childhood? Fuck that. The past shapes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-bloom/you-barely-know-me-why-because-you-don-t-know-my-favorite-color/) [Penelope Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-bloom/) > [The shadow-past is shaped by everything that never happened. Invisible, it melts the present like rain through karst. A biography of longing. It steers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-michaels/the-shadow-past-is-shaped-by-everything-that-never-happened-invisible/) [Anne Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-michaels/) > [Above Coblentz almost every mountain has a ruin and a legend. One feels everywhere the spirit of the past, and its stirring recollections come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayard-taylor/above-coblentz-almost-every-mountain-has-a-ruin-and-a-legend-one/) [Bayard Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayard-taylor/) > [Archaeology, I found, comprehended all manner of excitement and achievement. Adventure is coupled with bookish toil. Romantic excursions go hand in hand with scholarly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/archaeology-i-found-comprehended-all-manner-of-excitement-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Whatever withdraws us from the power of our senses; whatever makes the past, the distant, or the future, predominate over the present, advances us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/whatever-withdraws-us-from-the-power-of-our-senses-whatever-makes-the/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [I do like talking with friends about big concepts, you know, the stuff that will ruin a party. To me, the party hasn't begun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mercer/i-do-like-talking-with-friends-about-big-concepts-you-know-the-stuff/) [James Mercer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mercer/) > [The less we show our love to a woman, Or please her less, and neglect our duty, The more we trap and ruin her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pushkin/the-less-we-show-our-love-to-a-woman-or-please-her-less-and-neglect/) [Alexander Pushkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pushkin/) ## More by James S.A. Corey > [“If life transcends death, then I will seek for you there. If not, then there too.” He”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/if-life-transcends-death-then-i-will-seek-for-you-there-if-not-then/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [Violence is what people do when they run out of good ideas. It's attractive because it's simple, it's direct, it's almost always available as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/violence-is-what-people-do-when-they-run-out-of-good-ideas-it-s/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“This was the difference, she thought, between solitude and isolation. And now she knew something about herself she hadn’t known before. It was an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/this-was-the-difference-she-thought-between-solitude-and-isolation/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“Oh, I’m not dying out here,” Amos said, and pointed toward the interior of the ship with his chin. “Worst-case scenario, I’m dying inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/oh-i-m-not-dying-out-here-amos-said-and-pointed-toward-the-interior/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“My love is a pure love,” Alex said with a grin. “I wouldn’t sully it by actually, you know, doin’ anything about it.” “The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/my-love-is-a-pure-love-alex-said-with-a-grin-i-wouldn-t-sully-it-by/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“The mech hadn’t been designed for violence, but it was suited for it. That made her and it the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/the-mech-hadn-t-been-designed-for-violence-but-it-was-suited-for-it/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“For another thing, we’re under martial law, so I can do very nearly whatever the fuck I want. Including march through your precious little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/for-another-thing-we-re-under-martial-law-so-i-can-do-very-nearly/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“This attack is the greatest tragedy in human history,” Avasarala said. “They want the belt to rise up so they can hide behind the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/this-attack-is-the-greatest-tragedy-in-human-history-avasarala-said/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“Church of Humanity Ascendant, a religion that eschewed supernaturalism in all forms, and whose theology boiled down to Humans can be better than they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/church-of-humanity-ascendant-a-religion-that-eschewed-supernaturalism/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“Oh good,” Amos replied. “Somebody got killed there. That’s how we claim stuff, you know. This planet is officially ours now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/oh-good-amos-replied-somebody-got-killed-there-that-s-how-we-claim/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“Alamogordo and worked his two-year service stripping down ancient solar electricity stations from the bad old days before fusion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/alamogordo-and-worked-his-two-year-service-stripping-down-ancient/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“But humans hadn’t been living and working in space nearly long enough for the primitive part of the brain not to say, I’ll fall,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/but-humans-hadn-t-been-living-and-working-in-space-nearly-long-enough/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“I like the backup plan better,” Amos said. “Backup plan?” Prax asked. “The backup plan is I grab the first guy we see, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/i-like-the-backup-plan-better-amos-said-backup-plan-prax-asked-the/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“She had seen Holden on the newsfeeds and reports. At the beginning of the war between Mars and the Belt, he had been the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/she-had-seen-holden-on-the-newsfeeds-and-reports-at-the-beginning-of/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“the lizard living at the base of her spine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/the-lizard-living-at-the-base-of-her-spine/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) [Explore all 341 James S.A. Corey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) ## More Past quotes > [Because after you've crossed some lines, you just keep crossing them. And there's no escaping from constant escape. Distracting ourselves. Avoiding confrontation. Getting past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/because-after-you-ve-crossed-some-lines-you-just-keep-crossing-them/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [You can think about it, wonder what went wrong, over analyze the situation but the fact remains... it's the past, just let it go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/you-can-think-about-it-wonder-what-went-wrong-over-analyze-the/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [The Iranian people have a proud past. They merit a great future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/the-iranian-people-have-a-proud-past-they-merit-a-great-future/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I used to fight with hate. There's been a lot of aggression in my past growing up and stuff. That's because I was hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-namajunas/i-used-to-fight-with-hate-there-s-been-a-lot-of-aggression-in-my-past/) [Rose Namajunas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-namajunas/) > [In the past 40 years, the United States lost more than a million farmers and ranchers. Many of our farmers are aging. Today, only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-vilsack/in-the-past-40-years-the-united-states-lost-more-than-a-million/) [Tom Vilsack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-vilsack/) > [Nostalgia keeps dissolving the ironic narratives in which I have contained my past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/nostalgia-keeps-dissolving-the-ironic-narratives-in-which-i-have/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [Above Coblentz almost every mountain has a ruin and a legend. One feels everywhere the spirit of the past, and its stirring recollections come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayard-taylor/above-coblentz-almost-every-mountain-has-a-ruin-and-a-legend-one/) [Bayard Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayard-taylor/) > [Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/time-is-painted-with-a-lock-before-and-bald-behind-signifying-thereby/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [I am attracted to looking at the different things language can mean even in one sometimes quite ordinary utterance. Writing is partly about listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/i-am-attracted-to-looking-at-the-different-things-language-can-mean/) [Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/) > [Right before the pandemic, 'Past Lives' came across to me as something to read and possibly put myself on tape for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-faist/right-before-the-pandemic-past-lives-came-across-to-me-as-something/) [Mike Faist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-faist/) > [I nibbled my lower lip. "If you could see into my past just by touching my back, you'd have a hard time resisting the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/i-nibbled-my-lower-lip-if-you-could-see-into-my-past-just-by-touching/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [Liberalism is the philosophy for our time, because it does not try to conserve every tradition of the past, because it does not apply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-trudeau/liberalism-is-the-philosophy-for-our-time-because-it-does-not-try-to/) [Pierre Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-trudeau/) > [I have a way to photograph. You work with space, you have a camera, you have a frame, and then a fraction of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastiao-salgado/i-have-a-way-to-photograph-you-work-with-space-you-have-a-camera-you/) [Sebastiao Salgado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastiao-salgado/) > [At no time in the past century has public distrust of the government been so broadly distributed across the political spectrum, as it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-zimmermann/at-no-time-in-the-past-century-has-public-distrust-of-the-government/) [Phil Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-zimmermann/) > [Voting Labour in the past hasn't protected Scotland against Tory governments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/voting-labour-in-the-past-hasn-t-protected-scotland-against-tory/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) [Browse all 19,844 Past quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It was funny, he thought, how the ruins of the past shaped everything that came after.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James S.A. Corey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/it-was-funny-he-thought-how-the-ruins-of-the-past-shaped-everything/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Past" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/it-was-funny-he-thought-how-the-ruins-of-the-past-shaped-everything/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/james-s-a-corey-861_past_it-was-funny-he-thought-how-the-ruins-of_374724.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/james-s-a-corey-861_past_it-was-funny-he-thought-how-the-ruins-of_374724.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/james-s-a-corey-861_past_it-was-funny-he-thought-how-the-ruins-of_374724.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It was funny, he thought, how the ruins of the past shaped everything that came after.” — James S.A. Corey", "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": "James S.A. Corey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It was funny, he thought, how...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/it-was-funny-he-thought-how-the-ruins-of-the-past-shaped-everything/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/it-was-funny-he-thought-how-the-ruins-of-the-past-shaped-everything/#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 } } ] } ```