--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You go back and look at some of the…" description: "\"You go back and look at some of the ancient writings that exist throughout the world about wars and it's the same; the human beings' articulation of ev..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07e/pj-harvey-3601_ancient_you-go-back-and-look-at-some-of-the-anci_1569795.jpg" --- # You go back and look at some of the ancient writings that… ![“You go back and look at some of the ancient writings that exist throughout the world about wars and it's the same; the human beings' articulation of events is the same. That really fascinated me.” quote by PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07e/pj-harvey-3601_ancient_you-go-back-and-look-at-some-of-the-anci_1569795.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07e/pj-harvey-3601_ancient_you-go-back-and-look-at-some-of-the-anci_1569795.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07e/pj-harvey-3601_ancient_you-go-back-and-look-at-some-of-the-anci_1569795.jpg) > “You go back and look at some of the ancient writings that exist throughout the world about wars and it's the same; the human beings' articulation of events is the same. That really fascinated me.” [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker notes that accounts of war across cultures share similar patterns, highlighting a universal human tendency to describe conflict similarly. **In simple terms:** War stories repeat across cultures. Key Takeaway Recognize recurring human narratives. Themes history war human nature Mood analytical critical Type historical observational When to use this quote - academic study - war journalism - peace education Key Concepts pattern recognition cultural memory storytelling Questions to Reflect On - Why do we repeat the same war narratives? - What can we learn from these patterns? A Different Perspective It may ignore unique cultural contexts and nuances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ancient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) [Events](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/events/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Wars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wars/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [For the critic, the author does not exist; only a certain number of writings exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italo-calvino/for-the-critic-the-author-does-not-exist-only-a-certain-number-of/) [Italo Calvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italo-calvino/) > [We humans have existed in our present form for about a hundred thousand years. I believe that if during this time the human mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/we-humans-have-existed-in-our-present-form-for-about-a-hundred/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [I've got friends who are pyrotechnics who do big fire shows, so I'm really fascinated by that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosamund-pike/i-ve-got-friends-who-are-pyrotechnics-who-do-big-fire-shows-so-i-m/) [Rosamund Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosamund-pike/) > [I am really fascinated by human beings, fascinated!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idara-victor/i-am-really-fascinated-by-human-beings-fascinated/) [Idara Victor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idara-victor/) > [Coming from a filmy background, I have seen everything growing up, but even at that point of time, it never really fascinated me. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonakshi-sinha/coming-from-a-filmy-background-i-have-seen-everything-growing-up-but/) [Sonakshi Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonakshi-sinha/) > [I'm really fascinated by other directors' methods. I've done a lot of learning by observation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-elliott/i-m-really-fascinated-by-other-directors-methods-i-ve-done-a-lot-of/) [Marianne Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-elliott/) > [I've always been really fascinated by Vincent van Gogh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-c-hall/i-ve-always-been-really-fascinated-by-vincent-van-gogh/) [Michael C. 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In some ways it feels familiar, and in other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-hanks/i-m-really-fascinated-with-anything-that-takes-place-between-the/) [Colin Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-hanks/) > [I was always really fascinated with animation, but just in a way all kids are with watching Disney movies and all that, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-lepore/i-was-always-really-fascinated-with-animation-but-just-in-a-way-all/) [Kirsten Lepore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-lepore/) > [I never... it's a hard thing: when I think about projects, I don't come off something and go, 'I really want to make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-lawrence/i-never-it-s-a-hard-thing-when-i-think-about-projects-i-don-t-come/) [Francis Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-lawrence/) ## More by PJ Harvey > [I feel like I make a soundtrack for the come up, and I feel like there's so many people that's trying to figure out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/i-feel-like-i-make-a-soundtrack-for-the-come-up-and-i-feel-like-there/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) > [Like I have to pretend like I'm a male rapper, that I got stacks and we're in the club, and what do I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/like-i-have-to-pretend-like-i-m-a-male-rapper-that-i-got-stacks-and/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) > [I just started writing and writing for people. And then, like I guess after (a) year of getting some placements, I kinda got a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/i-just-started-writing-and-writing-for-people-and-then-like-i-guess/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) > [You can sing a very aggressive word in such a way that it's very funny. You can change words, completely turn them around on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/you-can-sing-a-very-aggressive-word-in-such-a-way-that-it-s-very/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) > [ The first song I heard from me was Meek Mill \["I Don't Know"\], it was his first single before he went (to jail). I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/the-first-song-i-heard-from-me-was-meek-mill-i-don-t-know-it-was-his/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) > [The way I make music is unique to myself and the way I have lived my life - no one else would tell that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/the-way-i-make-music-is-unique-to-myself-and-the-way-i-have-lived-my/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) > [People have this idea of me being some kind of monster, and that's the complete opposite of who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/people-have-this-idea-of-me-being-some-kind-of-monster-and-that-s-the/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) > [I like things that are beaten up, that have lived a little. I like things that are real. I like things that are made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/i-like-things-that-are-beaten-up-that-have-lived-a-little-i-like/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) > [If you want to be good at anything, you have to work hard at it. It doesn't just fall from the sky. I work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/if-you-want-to-be-good-at-anything-you-have-to-work-hard-at-it-it/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) > [I see men come and go, but there'll be one who'll collect my soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/i-see-men-come-and-go-but-there-ll-be-one-who-ll-collect-my-soul/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) > [At this point in my life, I'm probably not gonna be able to stop writing because it's gonna help me be able to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/at-this-point-in-my-life-i-m-probably-not-gonna-be-able-to-stop/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) > [I was really influenced by a lot of Disney soundtracks, because that's what I used to watch all the time, and they always put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/i-was-really-influenced-by-a-lot-of-disney-soundtracks-because-that-s/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) > [I do write a lot of prose. It's not disciplined enough yet that it's actually become stories, or short stories. The idea of writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/i-do-write-a-lot-of-prose-it-s-not-disciplined-enough-yet-that-it-s/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) > [I think Ive got a pretty good sense of humor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/i-think-ive-got-a-pretty-good-sense-of-humor/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) > [I never feel that I have to adopt a character. It's more the way I choose to present the music and that's always based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/i-never-feel-that-i-have-to-adopt-a-character-it-s-more-the-way-i/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) [Explore all 126 PJ Harvey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) ## More Ancient quotes > [“We ought to know the history of our ancient ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-ought-to-know-the-history-of-our-ancient-ancestors/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-ancient-times-those-who-wished-to-illuminate-the-world-with-virtue/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. 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It flew into two perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/tentatively-i-stood-a-great-lump-of-wood-on-the-chopping-block-and/) [Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/) > [Men must speak English who can write Sanskrit; they must speak a modern language who write, perchance, an ancient and universal one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-must-speak-english-who-can-write-sanskrit-they-must-speak-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [So too, monks, I saw the ancient path, the ancient road traveled by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past. And what is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/so-too-monks-i-saw-the-ancient-path-the-ancient-road-traveled-by-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Ancient societies had anthropomorphic gods: a huge pantheon expanding into centuries of dynastic drama; fathers and sons, martyred heroes, star-crossed lovers, the deaths of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hiddleston/ancient-societies-had-anthropomorphic-gods-a-huge-pantheon-expanding/) [Tom Hiddleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hiddleston/) > [My life shall be free and broad and great, and I will not be the slave to the sense delights which chained my ancient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/my-life-shall-be-free-and-broad-and-great-and-i-will-not-be-the-slave/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [Those of us with this ancient compulsion to tell stories sometimes start with a single kernel of something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/those-of-us-with-this-ancient-compulsion-to-tell-stories-sometimes/) [Edward P. 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