--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The ability to forget the past enables…" description: "\"The ability to forget the past enables people to free themselves gradually from the pain they once suffered; but it also often makes them repeat the mi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fec/lu-xun-12813_ability_the-ability-to-forget-the-past-enables-p_78683.jpg" --- # The ability to forget the past enables people to free… ![“The ability to forget the past enables people to free themselves gradually from the pain they once suffered; but it also often makes them repeat the mistakes of their predecessors.” quote by Lu Xun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fec/lu-xun-12813_ability_the-ability-to-forget-the-past-enables-p_78683.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fec/lu-xun-12813_ability_the-ability-to-forget-the-past-enables-p_78683.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fec/lu-xun-12813_ability_the-ability-to-forget-the-past-enables-p_78683.jpg) > “The ability to forget the past enables people to free themselves gradually from the pain they once suffered; but it also often makes them repeat the mistakes of their predecessors.” [Lu Xun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lu-xun/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Forgetting past trauma can relieve suffering, yet it also risks repeating historical errors due to loss of learned lessons. **In simple terms:** Memory loss eases pain but can cause repeated mistakes. Key Takeaway Balance forgetting with learning. Themes memory pain history learning growth Mood reflective cautious hopeful Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - personal healing - cultural reflection - organizational change - political reform - intergenerational dialogue Key Concepts psychology history human behavior Practical Applications - therapy approaches - educational curricula Questions to Reflect On - How can we retain useful lessons while letting go of pain? - What mechanisms help societies remember without being trapped by past trauma? A Different Perspective Some argue that selective forgetting can foster innovation by breaking harmful patterns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Existential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existential/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Forget the past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget-the-past/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The man has the possibilities of getting free gradually from the mechanical laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-i-gurdjieff/the-man-has-the-possibilities-of-getting-free-gradually-from-the/) [G. I. Gurdjieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-i-gurdjieff/) > [Knowledge of the past is what enables us to mark our forward progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ketanji-brown-jackson/knowledge-of-the-past-is-what-enables-us-to-mark-our-forward-progress/) [Ketanji Brown Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ketanji-brown-jackson/) > [I've got a really amazing ability to forget and disregard information that comes in my brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-mcnamara/i-ve-got-a-really-amazing-ability-to-forget-and-disregard-information/) [Garrett McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-mcnamara/) > [The greatest gift is the ability to forget - to forget the bad things and focus on the good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/the-greatest-gift-is-the-ability-to-forget-to-forget-the-bad-things/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [“Halvorsen remembered Harry had once said that what separates a good detective from a mediocre one is the ability to forget. A good detective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-nesb/halvorsen-remembered-harry-had-once-said-that-what-separates-a-good/) [Jo Nesbø](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-nesb/) > [Sharp memory is Great but in some moments of life we realize that ability to forget is much better\_\_\_!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sharp-memory-is-great-but-in-some-moments-of-life-we-realize-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Having a sharp memory is great..but sometimes the ability to forget is a lot better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/having-a-sharp-memory-is-great-but-sometimes-the-ability-to-forget-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The ability to forget is a blessing, just like memory is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marwane-caber/the-ability-to-forget-is-a-blessing-just-like-memory-is/) Marwane Caber > [I have an amazing ability to forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-mauch/i-have-an-amazing-ability-to-forget/) [Gene Mauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-mauch/) > [A human being survives by his ability to forget. Memory is always ready to blot out the bad and retain only the good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/varlam-shalamov/a-human-being-survives-by-his-ability-to-forget-memory-is-always/) [Varlam Shalamov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/varlam-shalamov/) > [The ability to forget is a prerequisite for an entrepreneur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelieu-dennis/the-ability-to-forget-is-a-prerequisite-for-an-entrepreneur/) [Richelieu Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelieu-dennis/) > [People's ability to forget what they do not want to know, to overlook what is before their eyes, was seldom put to the test…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-g-sebald/people-s-ability-to-forget-what-they-do-not-want-to-know-to-overlook/) [W. G. Sebald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-g-sebald/) > [Perhaps the basic thing which contributes to charm is the ability to forget oneself and be engrossed in other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/perhaps-the-basic-thing-which-contributes-to-charm-is-the-ability-to/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [A retentive memory may be a good thing, but the ability to forget is the true token of greatness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/a-retentive-memory-may-be-a-good-thing-but-the-ability-to-forget-is/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [“Nostalgia is basically the ability to forget the things that sucked.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-demille/nostalgia-is-basically-the-ability-to-forget-the-things-that-sucked/) [Nelson DeMille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-demille/) ## More by Lu Xun > [Hope is a path on the mountainside. At first there is no path. But then there are people passing that way. And there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lu-xun/hope-is-a-path-on-the-mountainside-at-first-there-is-no-path-but-then/) [Lu Xun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lu-xun/) > [It is in the nature of things that some people should be unlucky enough to get their heads chopped off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lu-xun/it-is-in-the-nature-of-things-that-some-people-should-be-unlucky/) [Lu Xun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lu-xun/) > [The most painful thing in life is to wake up from a dream and find no way out. Dreamers are fortunate people. If no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lu-xun/the-most-painful-thing-in-life-is-to-wake-up-from-a-dream-and-find-no/) [Lu Xun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lu-xun/) > [I entreat fresh visions from the painters. Be lavish with your vermilion to portray the mountains in the spring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lu-xun/i-entreat-fresh-visions-from-the-painters-be-lavish-with-your/) [Lu Xun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lu-xun/) > [Though science has given us many marvels, it has also spoiled many of our pleasant dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lu-xun/though-science-has-given-us-many-marvels-it-has-also-spoiled-many-of/) [Lu Xun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lu-xun/) > [Creation, even when it is a mere outpouring from the heart, wishes to find a public. By definition, creation is sociable. Yet it can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lu-xun/creation-even-when-it-is-a-mere-outpouring-from-the-heart-wishes-to/) [Lu Xun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lu-xun/) > [“With the weight of four thousand years of cannibalism bearing down upon me, even if I was once innocent how can I now face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lu-xun/with-the-weight-of-four-thousand-years-of-cannibalism-bearing-down/) [Lu Xun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lu-xun/) > [True fighters dare face the sorrows of humanity, and look unflinchingly at bloodshed. What sorrow and joy are theirs! But the Creator's common device…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lu-xun/true-fighters-dare-face-the-sorrows-of-humanity-and-look/) [Lu Xun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lu-xun/) > [I could not blot out hope, for hope belongs to the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lu-xun/i-could-not-blot-out-hope-for-hope-belongs-to-the-future/) [Lu Xun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lu-xun/) > [Hope is like a path in the countryside. Originally, there is nothing - but as people walk this way again and again, a path…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lu-xun/hope-is-like-a-path-in-the-countryside-originally-there-is-nothing/) [Lu Xun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lu-xun/) > [Whoever thinks he is objective must already be half drunk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lu-xun/whoever-thinks-he-is-objective-must-already-be-half-drunk/) [Lu Xun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lu-xun/) > [When a great man has become petrified, and everyone begins to proclaim his greatness, he has already turned into a puppet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lu-xun/when-a-great-man-has-become-petrified-and-everyone-begins-to-proclaim/) [Lu Xun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lu-xun/) > [Men who have not known the horror of death are not likely to be awed by it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lu-xun/men-who-have-not-known-the-horror-of-death-are-not-likely-to-be-awed/) [Lu Xun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lu-xun/) > [Like students going to school, the planes on their bombing missions fly over Beijing each morning. And each time I hear their engines attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lu-xun/like-students-going-to-school-the-planes-on-their-bombing-missions/) [Lu Xun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lu-xun/) > [When you talk with famous scholars, the best thing is to pretend that occasionally you do not quite understand them. If you understand too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lu-xun/when-you-talk-with-famous-scholars-the-best-thing-is-to-pretend-that/) [Lu Xun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lu-xun/) [Explore all 49 Lu Xun quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lu-xun/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The ability to forget the past enables people to free themselves gradually from the pain they once suffered; but it also often makes them repeat the mistakes of their predecessors.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lu Xun" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lu-xun/the-ability-to-forget-the-past-enables-people-to-free-themselves/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lu-xun/the-ability-to-forget-the-past-enables-people-to-free-themselves/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fec/lu-xun-12813_ability_the-ability-to-forget-the-past-enables-p_78683.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fec/lu-xun-12813_ability_the-ability-to-forget-the-past-enables-p_78683.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fec/lu-xun-12813_ability_the-ability-to-forget-the-past-enables-p_78683.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The ability to forget the past enables people to free themselves gradually from the pain they once suffered…” — Lu Xun", "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": "Lu Xun", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lu-xun/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The ability to forget the past...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lu-xun/the-ability-to-forget-the-past-enables-people-to-free-themselves/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lu-xun/the-ability-to-forget-the-past-enables-people-to-free-themselves/#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 } } ] } ```