--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The pressure to make public retractions…" description: "\"The pressure to make public retractions of past statements - there's something medieval about it. What does it mean, anyway, to 'retract' what you've s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46b/milan-kundera-120_doe_the-pressure-to-make-public-retractions_605237.jpg" --- # The pressure to make public retractions of past statements… ![“The pressure to make public retractions of past statements - there's something medieval about it. What does it mean, anyway, to 'retract' what you've said? How can anyone state categorically that a thought he once had is no longer valid? In modern times an idea can be refuted, yes, but not…” quote by Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46b/milan-kundera-120_doe_the-pressure-to-make-public-retractions_605237.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46b/milan-kundera-120_doe_the-pressure-to-make-public-retractions_605237.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/46b/milan-kundera-120_doe_the-pressure-to-make-public-retractions_605237.jpg) > “The pressure to make public retractions of past statements - there's something medieval about it. What does it mean, anyway, to 'retract' what you've said? How can anyone state categorically that a thought he once had is no longer valid? In modern times an idea can be refuted, yes, but not retracted.” [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. The quote questions the modern practice of publicly withdrawing past statements, suggesting it feels outdated and philosophically problematic because thoughts can change but cannot be erased. **In simple terms:** Public retractions seem medieval and clash with how ideas evolve. Key Takeaway Recognize that ideas evolve; avoid demanding absolute revocations. Themes memory truth responsibility historical context Mood reflective critical Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - academic debates - political apologies - social media corrections - legal testimonies Key Concepts philosophy of language ethical accountability epistemology Questions to Reflect On - How should societies handle evolving viewpoints? - Can we hold people accountable without demanding total revocation? A Different Perspective Retracting statements may oversimplify complex intellectual growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Medieval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medieval/) [Modern times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-times/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Pressure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pressure/) [Retract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retract/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“In modern times an idea can be refuted, yes, but not retracted”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/in-modern-times-an-idea-can-be-refuted-yes-but-not-retracted/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [“What does it mean, anyway, to 'retract' what you've said? How can anyone state categorically that a thought he once had is no longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/what-does-it-mean-anyway-to-retract-what-you-ve-said-how-can-anyone/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Since liberals never print retractions, they can say anything. What they said in the past is always deemed inadmissible and unfair to quote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/since-liberals-never-print-retractions-they-can-say-anything-what/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [If I allow journalists to describe a collection and they make mistakes, I'm upset, because the retractions are never noticed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-klein/if-i-allow-journalists-to-describe-a-collection-and-they-make/) [Calvin Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-klein/) > [I think the bottom line for me and for Newsweek is that there were a lot of - we did retract this specific matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-isikoff/i-think-the-bottom-line-for-me-and-for-newsweek-is-that-there-were-a/) [Michael Isikoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-isikoff/) > [You're cute. \*Clicks view more pictures\* I retract my last statement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crapp/you-re-cute-clicks-view-more-pictures-i-retract-my-last-statement/) [Crapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crapp/) > [We can't retract the decisions we've made, we can only affect the decisions we're going to make from here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-foxx/we-can-t-retract-the-decisions-we-ve-made-we-can-only-affect-the/) [Jamie Foxx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-foxx/) > [Never retract, never explain, never apologize; get things done and let them howl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nellie-l-mcclung/never-retract-never-explain-never-apologize-get-things-done-and-let/) [Nellie L. McClung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nellie-l-mcclung/) > [I am better able to retract what I did not say than what I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-ibn-gabirol/i-am-better-able-to-retract-what-i-did-not-say-than-what-i-did/) [Solomon Ibn Gabirol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-ibn-gabirol/) > [You know I have invested so much emotion on you and how you think I will retract back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tequilamucho/you-know-i-have-invested-so-much-emotion-on-you-and-how-you-think-i/) Tequilamucho > [People say the most stupid things on the spur of the moment that they then have to retract.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-palin/people-say-the-most-stupid-things-on-the-spur-of-the-moment-that-they/) [Michael Palin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-palin/) > [“It was early in my career, and I had been seeing Mary, a shy, lonely, and physically collapsed young woman, for about three months in weekly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/it-was-early-in-my-career-and-i-had-been-seeing-mary-a-shy-lonely-and/) [Bessel A. van der Kolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bessel-a-van-der-kolk/) > [The story of technology seems to go up and then retract into simplicity again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ze-frank/the-story-of-technology-seems-to-go-up-and-then-retract-into/) [Ze Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ze-frank/) > [I have nothing to regret, to retract or take back . . . I can only say; God Save Ireland!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-condon/i-have-nothing-to-regret-to-retract-or-take-back-i-can-only-say-god/) [Edward Condon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-condon/) > [At least we know we tend to be afraid. If you object to my plural noun, I'll retract it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-joplin/at-least-we-know-we-tend-to-be-afraid-if-you-object-to-my-plural-noun/) [Janis Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-joplin/) ## 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. 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The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [He's a fool that marries; but he's a greater fool that does not marry a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wycherley/he-s-a-fool-that-marries-but-he-s-a-greater-fool-that-does-not-marry/) [William Wycherley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wycherley/) > [Nothing old is ever reborn but neither does it totally disappear. And that which has once been born, will always reappear in a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvar-aalto/nothing-old-is-ever-reborn-but-neither-does-it-totally-disappear-and/) [Alvar Aalto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvar-aalto/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. 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