--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ... America has amnesia. ... Certainly…" description: "\"... America has amnesia. ... Certainly, there is a passion for memory loss in American thought. ... Americans may be the world champion forgetters.\" — ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/paula-gunn-allen-18956_america_america-has-amnesia-certainly-there-is-a_1039966.jpg" --- # ... America has amnesia. ... Certainly, there is a passion… ![“... America has amnesia. ... Certainly, there is a passion for memory loss in American thought. ... Americans may be the world champion forgetters.” quote by Paula Gunn Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/paula-gunn-allen-18956_america_america-has-amnesia-certainly-there-is-a_1039966.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/paula-gunn-allen-18956_america_america-has-amnesia-certainly-there-is-a_1039966.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/paula-gunn-allen-18956_america_america-has-amnesia-certainly-there-is-a_1039966.jpg) > “... America has amnesia. ... Certainly, there is a passion for memory loss in American thought. ... Americans may be the world champion forgetters.” [Paula Gunn Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-gunn-allen/) ## 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 critiques America's collective tendency to forget its history and cultural lessons, suggesting a national amnesia that hinders growth. **In simple terms:** America often forgets its past, which limits learning. Key Takeaway Recognize and confront forgotten histories. Themes history memory culture identity forgetting Mood reflective critical somber Type observational analytical cautionary When to use this quote - education curricula - public policy - media narratives - personal reflection Key Concepts collective amnesia historical consciousness Questions to Reflect On - How does forgetting shape national identity? - What can be done to preserve collective memory? A Different Perspective Ignoring past lessons can repeat mistakes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [America Amnesia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america-amnesia-2425452/) [Amnesia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amnesia/) [Amnesia Certainly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amnesia-certainly-2425453/) [Champion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/champion/) [Champion Forgetters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/champion-forgetters-2425454/) [Loss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loss/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) [Memory loss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory-loss/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Thought Americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-americans-546692/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World champion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-champion/) [World champions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-champions/) ## Related quotes > [ Why did the people think \[Vietnam war\] was fundamentally wrong and immoral? The guys who ran the polls, John E. Rielly, a professor at… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/why-did-the-people-think-vietnam-war-was-fundamentally-wrong-and/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [When I was asked to come over to the States, I thought to myself, 'What the Americans are very good at doing is creating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-espinosa/when-i-was-asked-to-come-over-to-the-states-i-thought-to-myself-what/) [Daniel Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-espinosa/) > [I had a guy at the Groucho bar clawing at my arm nearly in tears saying that until he saw The Departed he thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-monahan/i-had-a-guy-at-the-groucho-bar-clawing-at-my-arm-nearly-in-tears/) [William Monahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-monahan/) > [I wouldn't go to America if I thought Americans were representative of their government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matty-healy/i-wouldn-t-go-to-america-if-i-thought-americans-were-representative/) [Matty Healy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matty-healy/) > [“Foreigners thought the Americans’ eating habits were atrocious, their food execrable, and their coffee detestable. Americans tended to eat fast, often sharing a common…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-s-wood/foreigners-thought-the-americans-eating-habits-were-atrocious-their/) [Gordon S. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-s-wood/) > [“The folk of Hell-Knows-Where by default still thought of themselves as Americans.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-baxter/the-folk-of-hell-knows-where-by-default-still-thought-of-themselves/) [Stephen Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-baxter/) > [“ I'm Losing Faith in My Favorite Country Throughout my life, the United States has been my favorite country, save and except for Canada,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-douglass/i-m-losing-faith-in-my-favorite-country-throughout-my-life-the-united/) [Stephen Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-douglass/) > [“She always thought Americans were too territorial. 'All those fences and flags,' she had once said, seeing very little difference between the two.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinaw-mengestu/she-always-thought-americans-were-too-territorial-all-those-fences/) [Dinaw Mengestu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinaw-mengestu/) > [“An instant flashing thought: What would Bratok, big brother Gable, one of her CIA handlers, think about this temper of hers? Then, electrically, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-matthews/an-instant-flashing-thought-what-would-bratok-big-brother-gable-one/) [Jason Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-matthews/) > [“There are edges around the black and every now and then a flash of color streaks out of the gray. But I can never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-mcgarry/there-are-edges-around-the-black-and-every-now-and-then-a-flash-of/) [Katie McGarry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-mcgarry/) > [We need to live in a place with people have memory loss.. and start again !?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mystique/we-need-to-live-in-a-place-with-people-have-memory-loss-and-start/) [Mystique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mystique/) > [“When you don't grasp something or remember something, I think your mind at last says, "Okay," and part of it accepts this. In the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-smaill/when-you-don-t-grasp-something-or-remember-something-i-think-your/) [Anna Smaill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-smaill/) > [My own journey in becoming a poet began with memory - with the need to record and hold on to what was being lost.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-trethewey/my-own-journey-in-becoming-a-poet-began-with-memory-with-the-need-to/) [Natasha Trethewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-trethewey/) > [Bruno Mars had a Grenade, and Taio Cruz had Dynamite, so they both threw them at Katy Perry who exploded like a Firework. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mc-mimmos/bruno-mars-had-a-grenade-and-taio-cruz-had-dynamite-so-they-both/) [Mc Mimmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mc-mimmos/) > [“An imperfectly remembered life is a useless treachery. Every day, more fragments of the past roll around heavily in the chambers of an empty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/an-imperfectly-remembered-life-is-a-useless-treachery-every-day-more/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) ## More by Paula Gunn Allen > [My mother told me stories all the time... And in all of those stories she told me who I was, who I was supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-gunn-allen/my-mother-told-me-stories-all-the-time-and-in-all-of-those-stories/) [Paula Gunn Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-gunn-allen/) > [Humor is widely used by Indians to deal with life. Indian gatherings are marked by laughter and jokes, many directed at the horrors of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-gunn-allen/humor-is-widely-used-by-indians-to-deal-with-life-indian-gatherings/) [Paula Gunn Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-gunn-allen/) > [Idealization of a group is a natural consequence of separation from the group; in other words, it is a by-product of alienation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-gunn-allen/idealization-of-a-group-is-a-natural-consequence-of-separation-from/) [Paula Gunn Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-gunn-allen/) > [Breath is life, and the intermingling of breaths is the purpose of good living. This is in essence the great principle on which all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-gunn-allen/breath-is-life-and-the-intermingling-of-breaths-is-the-purpose-of/) [Paula Gunn Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-gunn-allen/) > [The hoop dancer dances within what encircles him, demonstrating how the people live in motion within the circling spirals of time and space. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-gunn-allen/the-hoop-dancer-dances-within-what-encircles-him-demonstrating-how/) [Paula Gunn Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-gunn-allen/) > [Medicine people are truly citizens of two worlds, and those who continue to walk the path of medicine power learn to keep their balance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-gunn-allen/medicine-people-are-truly-citizens-of-two-worlds-and-those-who/) [Paula Gunn Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-gunn-allen/) > [The shadows cannot speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-gunn-allen/the-shadows-cannot-speak/) [Paula Gunn Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-gunn-allen/) > [Hoop Dancer is a rendering of my understanding of the process by which one enters into timelessness -- that place where one is whole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-gunn-allen/hoop-dancer-is-a-rendering-of-my-understanding-of-the-process-by/) [Paula Gunn Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-gunn-allen/) > [For the American Indian, the ability of all creatures to share in the process of ongoing creation makes all things sacred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-gunn-allen/for-the-american-indian-the-ability-of-all-creatures-to-share-in-the/) [Paula Gunn Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-gunn-allen/) > [Indians think it is important to remember, while Americans believe it is important to forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-gunn-allen/indians-think-it-is-important-to-remember-while-americans-believe-it/) [Paula Gunn Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-gunn-allen/) > [The Indians used to be the only inhabitants of the Americas, but times change. Having perceived us as belonging to history, they are free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-gunn-allen/the-indians-used-to-be-the-only-inhabitants-of-the-americas-but-times/) [Paula Gunn Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-gunn-allen/) > [We are the land. To the best of my understanding, that is the fundamental idea that permeates American Indian life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-gunn-allen/we-are-the-land-to-the-best-of-my-understanding-that-is-the/) [Paula Gunn Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-gunn-allen/) > [In America, law substitutes for custom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-gunn-allen/in-america-law-substitutes-for-custom/) [Paula Gunn Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-gunn-allen/) > [In the Native American tradition... a man, if he's a mature adult, nurtures life. He does rituals that will help things grow, he helps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-gunn-allen/in-the-native-american-tradition-a-man-if-he-s-a-mature-adult/) [Paula Gunn Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-gunn-allen/) > [An odd thing occurs in the minds of Americans when Indian civilization in mentioned: little or nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-gunn-allen/an-odd-thing-occurs-in-the-minds-of-americans-when-indian/) [Paula Gunn Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-gunn-allen/) [Explore all 33 Paula Gunn Allen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-gunn-allen/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. 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/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "... America has amnesia. ... Certainly, there is a passion for memory loss in American thought. ... Americans may be the world champion forgetters.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paula Gunn Allen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-gunn-allen/america-has-amnesia-certainly-there-is-a-passion-for-memory-loss-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-gunn-allen/america-has-amnesia-certainly-there-is-a-passion-for-memory-loss-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/paula-gunn-allen-18956_america_america-has-amnesia-certainly-there-is-a_1039966.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/paula-gunn-allen-18956_america_america-has-amnesia-certainly-there-is-a_1039966.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/paula-gunn-allen-18956_america_america-has-amnesia-certainly-there-is-a_1039966.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“... America has amnesia. ... Certainly, there is a passion for memory loss in American thought…” — Paula Gunn Allen", "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": "Paula Gunn Allen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-gunn-allen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "... America has amnesia. ... Certainly,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-gunn-allen/america-has-amnesia-certainly-there-is-a-passion-for-memory-loss-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-gunn-allen/america-has-amnesia-certainly-there-is-a-passion-for-memory-loss-in/#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 } } ] } ```