--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What does it mean, anyway, to 'retract'…" description: "\"“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 How can anyone state categorically that a thought he once had is no longer valid?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 ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d33/milan-kundera-120_modern-times_what-does-it-mean-anyway-to-retract-what_1650070.jpg" --- # What does it mean, anyway, to 'retract' what you've said?… ![“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 How can anyone state categorically that a thought he once had is no longer valid?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 a thought can be refuted , yes, but not retracted . (p. 179)” quote by Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d33/milan-kundera-120_modern-times_what-does-it-mean-anyway-to-retract-what_1650070.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d33/milan-kundera-120_modern-times_what-does-it-mean-anyway-to-retract-what_1650070.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d33/milan-kundera-120_modern-times_what-does-it-mean-anyway-to-retract-what_1650070.jpg) > ““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 How can anyone state categorically that a thought he once had is no longer valid?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 a thought can be refuted , yes, but not retracted . (p. 179)”” [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. Questioning the possibility of fully revoking a past belief, highlighting the permanence of thought in memory. **In simple terms:** Thoughts once held cannot be completely erased. Key Takeaway Accept that past ideas shape you, even if you no longer endorse them. Themes philosophy memory truth Mood reflective introspective Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - personal growth - intellectual honesty - debate - writing - teaching Key Concepts Epistemology psychology identity Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile past beliefs with current values? - Can a thought ever be truly undone? A Different Perspective Ideas may persist in influence even when rejected. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Modern times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-times/) [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/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-pressure-to-make-public-retractions-of-past-statements-there-s/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Freedom can be destroyed, not just by its retraction, but also by its abuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/freedom-can-be-destroyed-not-just-by-its-retraction-but-also-by-its/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [“A eulogy is a life lived with a loved one or friend condensed into a few moments relating poignant and witty stories about them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-stafford/a-eulogy-is-a-life-lived-with-a-loved-one-or-friend-condensed-into-a/) [Stewart Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-stafford/) > [The accusation is always on the first page, and the retraction on page 19.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/the-accusation-is-always-on-the-first-page-and-the-retraction-on-page/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) > [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/) > [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 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/) > [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 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/) > [“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/) > [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 > [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/) ## 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. 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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? 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