--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He knew very well that his memory…" description: "\"“He knew very well that his memory detested him, that it did nothing but slander him; therefore he tried not to believe it and to be more lenient towar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/milan-kundera-120_looking-back_he-knew-very-well-that-his-memory-detest_2367714.jpg" --- # He knew very well that his memory detested him, that it… ![“He knew very well that his memory detested him, that it did nothing but slander him; therefore he tried not to believe it and to be more lenient toward his own life. But that didn't help: he took no pleasure in looking back, and he did it as seldom as possible.” quote by Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/milan-kundera-120_looking-back_he-knew-very-well-that-his-memory-detest_2367714.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/milan-kundera-120_looking-back_he-knew-very-well-that-his-memory-detest_2367714.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b93/milan-kundera-120_looking-back_he-knew-very-well-that-his-memory-detest_2367714.jpg) > ““He knew very well that his memory detested him, that it did nothing but slander him; therefore he tried not to believe it and to be more lenient toward his own life. But that didn't help: he took no pleasure in looking back, and he did it as seldom as possible.”” [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He resists his memory’s harsh judgments, seeking gentleness toward himself, yet this avoidance brings no peace. **In simple terms:** Avoid painful memories, but peace remains elusive. Key Takeaway Accept memory, seek peace. Themes memory self‑compassion existential angst Mood melancholic introspective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - therapy sessions - journaling - grieving processes Key Concepts psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - Can confronting memory bring relief? - What does self‑leniency achieve? A Different Perspective Denial can deepen suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looking-back/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Nostalgia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nostalgia/) [Slander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slander/) ## Related quotes > [ My father would never have come to visit, he detested Eva's \[Braun\] choice in a man and the fact \[Adolf\] Hitler had set her… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretl-braun/my-father-would-never-have-come-to-visit-he-detested-eva-s-braun/) [Gretl Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretl-braun/) > [“I hardly ever cut vegetables, never cooked rice and I detested beating eggs. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-alcuaz/i-hardly-ever-cut-vegetables-never-cooked-rice-and-i-detested-beating/) [N.T. Alcuaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-alcuaz/) > [Politicians are so... detested; they don't actually walk amongst people now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/politicians-are-so-detested-they-don-t-actually-walk-amongst-people/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [Of all the vices, avarice is the most generally detested; it is the effect of an avidity common to all men; it is because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-adrien-helvetius/of-all-the-vices-avarice-is-the-most-generally-detested-it-is-the/) [Claude Adrien Helvetius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-adrien-helvetius/) > [I have always detested the belief that sex is the chief bond between man and woman. Friendship is far more human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-smedley/i-have-always-detested-the-belief-that-sex-is-the-chief-bond-between/) [Agnes Smedley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-smedley/) > [“For the thousandth time, Faith wondered why this appealed to her. She detested letting men walk all over her, letting them think they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cari-silverwood/for-the-thousandth-time-faith-wondered-why-this-appealed-to-her-she/) [Cari Silverwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cari-silverwood/) > [“she hated and detested Nicholas with all the narrowness of mind and littleness of purpose worthy a descendant of the house of Squeers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/she-hated-and-detested-nicholas-with-all-the-narrowness-of-mind-and/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I remember how much - when I was a small boy I was taken to see a version of 'Peter Pan.' I detested it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-sendak/i-remember-how-much-when-i-was-a-small-boy-i-was-taken-to-see-a/) [Maurice Sendak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-sendak/) > [A man’s got to keep up appearances. I’ll be universally detested if everyone realizes how perfect you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-quinn/a-man-s-got-to-keep-up-appearances-i-ll-be-universally-detested-if/) [Julia Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-quinn/) > [I have always detested any departure from reality, an attitude which I relate to my mother's poor mental health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/i-have-always-detested-any-departure-from-reality-an-attitude-which-i/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [I detested you, at the moment of my death... My soul cannot move beyond that... As long as you live, I cannot rest! -Kikyo…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumiko-takahashi/i-detested-you-at-the-moment-of-my-death-my-soul-cannot-move-beyond/) [Rumiko Takahashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumiko-takahashi/) > [Politicians are so detested. And the main cause is not policy; it's the fact that there is no trust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zac-goldsmith/politicians-are-so-detested-and-the-main-cause-is-not-policy-it-s-the/) [Zac Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zac-goldsmith/) > [Superiority is always detested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/superiority-is-always-detested/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [“For more than half a century they belonged to one another. She detested the same characteristics in him that last day as she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-backman/for-more-than-half-a-century-they-belonged-to-one-another-she/) [Fredrik Backman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-backman/) > [It is horrible to see everything that one detested in the past coming back wearing the colors of the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/it-is-horrible-to-see-everything-that-one-detested-in-the-past-coming/) [Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/) ## More by Milan Kundera > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“From that time on they both looked forward to sleeping together. I might even say that the goal of their lovemaking was not so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/from-that-time-on-they-both-looked-forward-to-sleeping-together-i/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Beauty in the European sense has always had a premeditated quality to it. We've always had an aesthetic intention and a long-range plan. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/beauty-in-the-european-sense-has-always-had-a-premeditated-quality-to/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [The beauty of New York is unintentional; it arose independent of human design, like a stalagmite cavern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-beauty-of-new-york-is-unintentional-it-arose-independent-of-human/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Children, Never look Back!" and this meant that we must never allow the future to be weighed down by memory . for children have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/children-never-look-back-and-this-meant-that-we-must-never-allow-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Our lives may be separate, but they run in the same direction, like parallel lines.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/our-lives-may-be-separate-but-they-run-in-the-same-direction-like/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Having a child is to show an absolute accord with mankind. If I have a child, it's as though I'm saying: I was born…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/having-a-child-is-to-show-an-absolute-accord-with-mankind-if-i-have-a/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Love is a battle," said Marie-Claude, still smiling. "And I plan to go on fighting. To the end." Love is a battle?" said Franz.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/love-is-a-battle-said-marie-claude-still-smiling-and-i-plan-to-go-on/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“He remained annoyed with himself until he realized that not knowing what he wanted was actually quite natural. We can never know what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/he-remained-annoyed-with-himself-until-he-realized-that-not-knowing/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Whenever I think about ancient cultures nostalgia seizes me. Perhaps this is nothing but envy of the sweet slowness of the history of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/whenever-i-think-about-ancient-cultures-nostalgia-seizes-me-perhaps/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [When we ignore the body, we are more easily victimized by it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/when-we-ignore-the-body-we-are-more-easily-victimized-by-it/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Do stories, apart from happening, being, have something to say? For all my skepticism, some trace of irrational superstition did survive in me, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/do-stories-apart-from-happening-being-have-something-to-say-for-all/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“Os extremos delimitam a fronteira para além da qual a vida termina, e a paixão pelo extremismo, tanto em arte como em política, é…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/os-extremos-delimitam-a-fronteira-para-al-m-da-qual-a-vida-termina-e/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [The characters in my novels are my own unrealized possibilities. That is why I am equally fond of them all and equally horrified by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-characters-in-my-novels-are-my-own-unrealized-possibilities-that/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Anyone whose goal is 'something higher' must expect someday to suffer vertigo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/anyone-whose-goal-is-something-higher-must-expect-someday-to-suffer/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) [Explore all 952 Milan Kundera quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) ## More Looking back quotes > [I'm just always looking forwards. I spend very little time, looking backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/i-m-just-always-looking-forwards-i-spend-very-little-time-looking/) [Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/) > [I don't spend much time looking back at what happened. I do remember it, but I don't see any purpose of wanting to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amitabh-bachchan/i-don-t-spend-much-time-looking-back-at-what-happened-i-do-remember/) [Amitabh Bachchan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amitabh-bachchan/) > [I know that Europe's wonderful, yet something seems to lack;The Past is too much with her, and the people looking back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/i-know-that-europe-s-wonderful-yet-something-seems-to-lack-the-past/) [Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) > [I would tell all women entrepreneurs to stay focussed and positive. One just needs to keep moving without looking back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gauri-khan/i-would-tell-all-women-entrepreneurs-to-stay-focussed-and-positive/) [Gauri Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gauri-khan/) > [Looking back now, thinking about that moment in the lights, with my heart pounding, Oscar in my hand, all I can say is I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/looking-back-now-thinking-about-that-moment-in-the-lights-with-my/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) > [Yelena.” I halted in the doorway, looking back over my shoulder. “You once said I wasn’t ready to believe your reason for killing Reyad.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-v-snyder/yelena-i-halted-in-the-doorway-looking-back-over-my-shoulder-you-once/) [Maria V. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-v-snyder/) > [ \[Virginia Madsen\] big part in that movie \['Class'\] required her shirt to get ripped off, and looking back, it couldn't be a more egregious,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/virginia-madsen-big-part-in-that-movie-class-required-her-shirt-to/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [I hate looking backward, but every once in a while it sneaks up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/i-hate-looking-backward-but-every-once-in-a-while-it-sneaks-up-on-you/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [“Do you think the memory of someone should dictate how we live going forward?' he asks, threading and unthreading his fingers together. 'It depends,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-bracken/do-you-think-the-memory-of-someone-should-dictate-how-we-live-going/) [Alexandra Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-bracken/) > [The only thing a person can ever really do is keep moving forward. Take that big leap forward without hesitation, without once looking back.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyson-noel/the-only-thing-a-person-can-ever-really-do-is-keep-moving-forward/) [Alyson Noel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyson-noel/) > [Technology has just been the major progression of the last 15 years - instant communication. That stuff has gone so global. That's what's interesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ti-west/technology-has-just-been-the-major-progression-of-the-last-15-years/) [Ti West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ti-west/) > [I don't want to keep looking back in the past. I want to move forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-kufrin/i-don-t-want-to-keep-looking-back-in-the-past-i-want-to-move-forward/) [Becca Kufrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-kufrin/) > [The decision to let go of that which has completed its course in your experience is even more important than the decision to welcome…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-charles-barker/the-decision-to-let-go-of-that-which-has-completed-its-course-in-your/) [Raymond Charles Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-charles-barker/) > [You have to find what’s good and true and beautiful in your life as it is now. Looking back makes you competitive. And, age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/you-have-to-find-what-s-good-and-true-and-beautiful-in-your-life-as/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [I look into my heart and see the abyss looking back at me.' 'I won't let you fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nalini-singh/i-look-into-my-heart-and-see-the-abyss-looking-back-at-me-i-won-t-let/) [Nalini Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nalini-singh/) [Browse all 912 Looking back quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looking-back/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He knew very well that his memory detested him, that it did nothing but slander him; therefore he tried not to believe it and to be more lenient toward his own life. 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