--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What was, was. The past defines itself…" description: "\"“What was, was. The past defines itself. Historians refuse to accept that definition & instead superimpose their analysis of the past through the eyes ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbd/l-e-modesitt-jr-12954_historians_what-was-was-the-past-defines-itself-his_2270013.png" --- # What was, was. The past defines itself. Historians refuse… ![“What was, was. The past defines itself. Historians refuse to accept that definition & instead superimpose their analysis of the past through the eyes of the present. Thus, history becomes a pale reflection of the present, while the true past is lost behind the reflected image presented by…” quote by L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbd/l-e-modesitt-jr-12954_historians_what-was-was-the-past-defines-itself-his_2270013.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbd/l-e-modesitt-jr-12954_historians_what-was-was-the-past-defines-itself-his_2270013.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbd/l-e-modesitt-jr-12954_historians_what-was-was-the-past-defines-itself-his_2270013.png) > ““What was, was. The past defines itself. Historians refuse to accept that definition & instead superimpose their analysis of the past through the eyes of the present. Thus, history becomes a pale reflection of the present, while the true past is lost behind the reflected image presented by historians who would have us see what they believe, rather than what was.”” [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. History is shaped by present perspectives, often distorting the true past. **In simple terms:** History is filtered through today’s view. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about historical narratives. Themes history presentation interpretation Mood critical reflective Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - academic research - media reporting - personal memory - policy making Key Concepts historical relativism narrative bias Questions to Reflect On - How do we recognize our own bias? - What methods protect historical accuracy? 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It is a peculiar feature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/there-is-no-way-in-which-we-can-retrospectively-erase-the-treaty-of/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [“For the Arab, the past does not merely live. The past defines the present.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davis-bunn/for-the-arab-the-past-does-not-merely-live-the-past-defines-the/) [Davis Bunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davis-bunn/) > [Your past NEVER defines your future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-past-never-defines-your-future/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The bad news is, our past defines us. However, the good news is, our future will someday be a part of that past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/palle-oswald/the-bad-news-is-our-past-defines-us-however-the-good-news-is-our/) [Palle Oswald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/palle-oswald/) > [When you are caught in the mind, your past defines you. When you are present, you are beyond definition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-jacobson/when-you-are-caught-in-the-mind-your-past-defines-you-when-you-are/) [Leonard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-jacobson/) > [“You can never run from your past; it defines who you are today. But, use your Awo given intelligence and enjoy the future…because THAT…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-horst/you-can-never-run-from-your-past-it-defines-who-you-are-today-but-use/) [Michelle Horst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-horst/) > [“The past defines us as much as the present. By never knowing my past, I was never sure of who I was. Because mine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlene-j-chai/the-past-defines-us-as-much-as-the-present-by-never-knowing-my-past-i/) [Arlene J. Chai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlene-j-chai/) > [Your past defines your present. 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Modesitt Jr > [Love of another is merely empty flattery and self-deception for one who cannot accept himself without pretense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/love-of-another-is-merely-empty-flattery-and-self-deception-for-one/) [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) > [“Don’t ever settle for just survival, son. Survival isn’t life…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/don-t-ever-settle-for-just-survival-son-survival-isn-t-life/) [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) > [Without power, knowledge is useless. without knowledge, faith is tyranny. Without understanding, humanity is blind, and without all four, it is doomed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/without-power-knowledge-is-useless-without-knowledge-faith-is-tyranny/) [L.E. 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Not if life is to have meaning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/too-often-no-matter-what-simpering-savants-say-there-is-no-real/) [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) > [“Up early. Must be important.” Her smile was nice, too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/up-early-must-be-important-her-smile-was-nice-too/) [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) > [“some people learned only from what they experienced personally.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/some-people-learned-only-from-what-they-experienced-personally/) [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) > [Hatred is a form of faith, distilled by passion to remove all rationality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/hatred-is-a-form-of-faith-distilled-by-passion-to-remove-all/) [L.E. 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Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) > [“power corrupts, even when you try not to be corrupted?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/power-corrupts-even-when-you-try-not-to-be-corrupted/) [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) > [“We all feel better when we can defend ourselves. When we can tell ourselves and everyone else that we did what was necessary and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-e-modesitt-jr/we-all-feel-better-when-we-can-defend-ourselves-when-we-can-tell/) [L.E. Modesitt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) [Explore all 51 L.E. Modesitt Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-e-modesitt-jr/) ## More Historians quotes > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [In history as it comes to be written, there is usually some Spirit of the Age which historians can define, but the shape of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-wood-krutch/in-history-as-it-comes-to-be-written-there-is-usually-some-spirit-of/) [Joseph Wood Krutch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-wood-krutch/) > [“I know quite well why I became a historian… It was because dissension was frowned upon when I was a child: 'Don't argue, Claudia,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-lively/i-know-quite-well-why-i-became-a-historian-it-was-because-dissension/) [Penelope Lively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-lively/) > [“So it appears to me, for when he could and should have wielded his pen to praise the virtues of so good a knight,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/so-it-appears-to-me-for-when-he-could-and-should-have-wielded-his-pen/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) > [Since history has no properly scientific value, its only purpose is educative. 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