--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One of the reasons we do history, in…" description: "\"One of the reasons we do history, in fact, is because it acts as a brake, a control, on our otherwise unbridled enthusiasm for our own ideas.\" — N. T. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/259/n-t-wright-2-2245_brake_one-of-the-reasons-we-do-history-in-fact_273108.jpg" --- # One of the reasons we do history, in fact, is because it… ![“One of the reasons we do history, in fact, is because it acts as a brake, a control, on our otherwise unbridled enthusiasm for our own ideas.” quote by N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/259/n-t-wright-2-2245_brake_one-of-the-reasons-we-do-history-in-fact_273108.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/259/n-t-wright-2-2245_brake_one-of-the-reasons-we-do-history-in-fact_273108.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/259/n-t-wright-2-2245_brake_one-of-the-reasons-we-do-history-in-fact_273108.jpg) > “One of the reasons we do history, in fact, is because it acts as a brake, a control, on our otherwise unbridled enthusiasm for our own ideas.” [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. History serves as a brake, tempering our enthusiasm for personal ideas by providing perspective. **In simple terms:** History tempers our ideas. Key Takeaway Learn from past to check present hubris. Themes history humility learning perspective self‑awareness Mood thoughtful analytical inspirational Type academic philosophical reflective When to use this quote - academic research - policy making - personal decision making - creative projects Key Concepts philosophy historical analysis critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance historical insight with innovative thinking? - What lessons from history are most relevant today? A Different Perspective Relying solely on history may ignore novel possibilities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enthusiasm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enthusiasm/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) ## Related quotes > [“There is no room in History for conjecture. History is fact because it deals with facts, you’ll learn in time...' 'Fuck that, man. That’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-christopher/there-is-no-room-in-history-for-conjecture-history-is-fact-because-it/) D.L. Christopher > [“You can succeed at almost anything for which you have unbridled enthusiasm.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/you-can-succeed-at-almost-anything-for-which-you-have-unbridled/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [France is ready for a European revolution and it is Germany that is pulling the brakes. For a long time, it was the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/france-is-ready-for-a-european-revolution-and-it-is-germany-that-is/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [The daughters of God don't brake for jerks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-daughters-of-god-don-t-brake-for-jerks/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [You say that I should be your teacher! See to it that I am your pinion and not your brake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/you-say-that-i-should-be-your-teacher-see-to-it-that-i-am-your-pinion/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [It is sometimes of God's mercy that men in the eager pursuit of worldly aggrandizement are baffled; for they are very like a train…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/it-is-sometimes-of-god-s-mercy-that-men-in-the-eager-pursuit-of/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [You only hear the music when your heart begins to brake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seether/you-only-hear-the-music-when-your-heart-begins-to-brake/) [Seether](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seether/) > [Lethal like venomous snake bites the marijuana makes my eyes bright red like brake lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/canibus/lethal-like-venomous-snake-bites-the-marijuana-makes-my-eyes-bright/) [Canibus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/canibus/) > [Newman's first law: It is useless to put on your brakes when you're upside down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/newman-s-first-law-it-is-useless-to-put-on-your-brakes-when-you-re/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) > [The galleries are full of critics. They play no ball, they fight no fights. They make no mistakes because they attempt nothing. Down in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-m-shoup/the-galleries-are-full-of-critics-they-play-no-ball-they-fight-no/) [David M. Shoup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-m-shoup/) > [You brake to fuckin easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delphine-hogue/you-brake-to-fuckin-easy/) Delphine Hogue > [It's all happening too fast. I've got to put the brakes on or I'll smack into something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-gibson/it-s-all-happening-too-fast-i-ve-got-to-put-the-brakes-on-or-i-ll/) [Mel Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-gibson/) > [Common sense is the guy who tells you that you ought to have had your brakes relined last week before you smashed a front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/common-sense-is-the-guy-who-tells-you-that-you-ought-to-have-had-your/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [How do you, on the one hand, not object to Hillary Clinton being elected, and then, on the other hand, tell people, "Elect me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/how-do-you-on-the-one-hand-not-object-to-hillary-clinton-being/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [It is amazing how may drivers, even at the Formula One Level, think that the brakes are for slowing the car down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/it-is-amazing-how-may-drivers-even-at-the-formula-one-level-think/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) ## More by N. T. Wright > [Wherever St. Paul went, there was a riot. Wherever I go, they serve tea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/wherever-st-paul-went-there-was-a-riot-wherever-i-go-they-serve-tea/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) > [Rest you well, beloved Jesus, Caesar’s Lord and Israel’s King, In the brooding of the Spirit, in the darkness of the spring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/rest-you-well-beloved-jesus-caesar-s-lord-and-israel-s-king-in-the/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) > [Art is love creating the new world and justice is love rolling up its sleeves to heal the old one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/art-is-love-creating-the-new-world-and-justice-is-love-rolling-up-its/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) > [It is faith that looks up at the creator God and knows him to be the God of love. And it is faith that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/it-is-faith-that-looks-up-at-the-creator-god-and-knows-him-to-be-the/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) > [Scripture is, at its heart, the great story that we sing in order not just to learn it with our heads but to become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/scripture-is-at-its-heart-the-great-story-that-we-sing-in-order-not/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) > [Most of the things that really matter require faith. 'How do I know that my wife loves me?' 'How do I know that Mozart's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/most-of-the-things-that-really-matter-require-faith-how-do-i-know/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) > [Justice never means "treating everybody the same way", but "treating people appropriately".](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/justice-never-means-treating-everybody-the-same-way-but-treating/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) > [People often get upset when you teach them what is in the Bible rather than what they presume is in the Bible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/people-often-get-upset-when-you-teach-them-what-is-in-the-bible/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) > [The word "salvation" denotes rescue. Rescue? What from? Well, of course, ultimately death. And since it is sin that colludes with the forces of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/the-word-salvation-denotes-rescue-rescue-what-from-well-of-course/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) > [We cannot worship the suffering God today and ignore him tomorrow. We cannot eat and drink the body and blood of the passionate and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/we-cannot-worship-the-suffering-god-today-and-ignore-him-tomorrow-we/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) > [Part of Christian belief is to find out what's true about Jesus and let that challenge our culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/part-of-christian-belief-is-to-find-out-what-s-true-about-jesus-and/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) > [If you ask people in England where does Tom Wright sit on the theological spectrum, they say, "Well he's an evangelical of course," as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/if-you-ask-people-in-england-where-does-tom-wright-sit-on-the/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) > [True worship is open to God, adoring God, waiting for God, trusting God even in the dark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/true-worship-is-open-to-god-adoring-god-waiting-for-god-trusting-god/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) > [Jesus of Nazareth ushers in not simply a new religious possibility, not simply a new ethic or a new way of salvation, but a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/jesus-of-nazareth-ushers-in-not-simply-a-new-religious-possibility/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) > [All our language about the future ... is like a set of signposts pointing into a bright mist ... the New Testament image of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/all-our-language-about-the-future-is-like-a-set-of-signposts-pointing/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) [Explore all 176 N. T. Wright quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) ## More Brake quotes > [It is amazing how may drivers, even at the Formula One Level, think that the brakes are for slowing the car down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/it-is-amazing-how-may-drivers-even-at-the-formula-one-level-think/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [How do you, on the one hand, not object to Hillary Clinton being elected, and then, on the other hand, tell people, "Elect me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/how-do-you-on-the-one-hand-not-object-to-hillary-clinton-being/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Common sense is the guy who tells you that you ought to have had your brakes relined last week before you smashed a front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-chandler/common-sense-is-the-guy-who-tells-you-that-you-ought-to-have-had-your/) [Raymond Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-chandler/) > [It's all happening too fast. I've got to put the brakes on or I'll smack into something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-gibson/it-s-all-happening-too-fast-i-ve-got-to-put-the-brakes-on-or-i-ll/) [Mel Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-gibson/) > [You brake to fuckin easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delphine-hogue/you-brake-to-fuckin-easy/) Delphine Hogue > [The galleries are full of critics. They play no ball, they fight no fights. They make no mistakes because they attempt nothing. Down in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-m-shoup/the-galleries-are-full-of-critics-they-play-no-ball-they-fight-no/) [David M. Shoup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-m-shoup/) > [Newman's first law: It is useless to put on your brakes when you're upside down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/newman-s-first-law-it-is-useless-to-put-on-your-brakes-when-you-re/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) > [Lethal like venomous snake bites the marijuana makes my eyes bright red like brake lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/canibus/lethal-like-venomous-snake-bites-the-marijuana-makes-my-eyes-bright/) [Canibus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/canibus/) > [You only hear the music when your heart begins to brake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seether/you-only-hear-the-music-when-your-heart-begins-to-brake/) [Seether](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seether/) > [It is sometimes of God's mercy that men in the eager pursuit of worldly aggrandizement are baffled; for they are very like a train…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/it-is-sometimes-of-god-s-mercy-that-men-in-the-eager-pursuit-of/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [You say that I should be your teacher! See to it that I am your pinion and not your brake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/you-say-that-i-should-be-your-teacher-see-to-it-that-i-am-your-pinion/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [The daughters of God don't brake for jerks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-daughters-of-god-don-t-brake-for-jerks/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [France is ready for a European revolution and it is Germany that is pulling the brakes. For a long time, it was the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/france-is-ready-for-a-european-revolution-and-it-is-germany-that-is/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [“Some chains will never be broken, until you brake them through prayer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gift-gugu-mona/some-chains-will-never-be-broken-until-you-brake-them-through-prayer/) [Gift Gugu Mona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gift-gugu-mona/) > [“Life without Freedom can't go far…it's like a Brake that stops a car!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rvm/life-without-freedom-can-t-go-far-it-s-like-a-brake-that-stops-a-car/) RVM Browse all 186 Brake quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One of the reasons we do history, in fact, is because it acts as a brake, a control, on our otherwise unbridled enthusiasm for our own ideas.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "N. T. Wright" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/one-of-the-reasons-we-do-history-in-fact-is-because-it-acts-as-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Brake" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/one-of-the-reasons-we-do-history-in-fact-is-because-it-acts-as-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/259/n-t-wright-2-2245_brake_one-of-the-reasons-we-do-history-in-fact_273108.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/259/n-t-wright-2-2245_brake_one-of-the-reasons-we-do-history-in-fact_273108.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/259/n-t-wright-2-2245_brake_one-of-the-reasons-we-do-history-in-fact_273108.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One of the reasons we do history, in fact, is because it acts as a brake, a control, on our otherwise…” — N. T. Wright", "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": "N. T. Wright", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "One of the reasons we do...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/one-of-the-reasons-we-do-history-in-fact-is-because-it-acts-as-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/one-of-the-reasons-we-do-history-in-fact-is-because-it-acts-as-a/#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 } } ] } ```