--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The past is fantasy, and the future is…" description: "\"“The past is fantasy, and the future is science fiction.”\" — T.L. Rese" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/t-l-rese-36445_fantasy_the-past-is-fantasy-and-the-future-is-sc_2858637.jpg" --- # The past is fantasy, and the future is science fiction. ![“The past is fantasy, and the future is science fiction.” quote by T.L. Rese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/t-l-rese-36445_fantasy_the-past-is-fantasy-and-the-future-is-sc_2858637.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/t-l-rese-36445_fantasy_the-past-is-fantasy-and-the-future-is-sc_2858637.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/t-l-rese-36445_fantasy_the-past-is-fantasy-and-the-future-is-sc_2858637.jpg) > ““The past is fantasy, and the future is science fiction.”” [T.L. Rese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-rese/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The past is imagined, the future is speculative science. **In simple terms:** Past is fantasy, future is sci‑fi. Key Takeaway Treat past and future as narratives. Themes time imagination future Mood reflective inspired Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - writing - future studies - history analysis Key Concepts philosophy science fiction Questions to Reflect On - How does nostalgia affect perception? - What future scenarios excite you? A Different Perspective Past can inform future decisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fantasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-fiction/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Science fiction and fantasy, though they seem to be about the future or fictional worlds, are always at their core really about the problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-joseph-adams/science-fiction-and-fantasy-though-they-seem-to-be-about-the-future/) [John Joseph Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-joseph-adams/) > [“I like remembering her as she was—a fantasy of the future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-like-remembering-her-as-she-was-a-fantasy-of-the-future/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Time travel is a fantasy we all have. The 'Back to the Future' series really exploits that wish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-lloyd/time-travel-is-a-fantasy-we-all-have-the-back-to-the-future-series/) [Christopher Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-lloyd/) > [The overall vision for 'Utopia' was somewhat of a mix between fantasy, future, and ancient China. All of it soaked in a pastel space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerli/the-overall-vision-for-utopia-was-somewhat-of-a-mix-between-fantasy/) [Kerli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerli/) > [“It's a good day to do great things!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-lipnitzky/it-s-a-good-day-to-do-great-things/) Randy Lipnitzky > [I grew up a really nerdy kid. I read science fiction and fantasy voraciously, for the first 16 years of my life. I read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-spaihts/i-grew-up-a-really-nerdy-kid-i-read-science-fiction-and-fantasy/) [Jon Spaihts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-spaihts/) > [Of the two, I would think of my work as closer to Science Fiction than Fantasy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-m-auel/of-the-two-i-would-think-of-my-work-as-closer-to-science-fiction-than/) [Jean M. Auel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-m-auel/) > [Oh, I'm nerdy about science fiction and fantasy and graphic novels and reading, and I'm nerdy about board games. My favorite board game is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-campbell/oh-i-m-nerdy-about-science-fiction-and-fantasy-and-graphic-novels-and/) [Billy Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-campbell/) > [In my early teens, science fiction and fantasy had an almost-total hold over my imagination. Their outcast status was part of their appeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hari-kunzru/in-my-early-teens-science-fiction-and-fantasy-had-an-almost-total/) [Hari Kunzru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hari-kunzru/) > [Science fiction is about what could be but isn't; fantasy is about what couldn't be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/science-fiction-is-about-what-could-be-but-isn-t-fantasy-is-about/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [Science fiction is a weird category, because it's the only area of fiction I can think of where the story is not of primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-e-westlake/science-fiction-is-a-weird-category-because-it-s-the-only-area-of/) [Donald E. Westlake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-e-westlake/) > [“What we've done is make the categories of science fiction and fantasy larger, freer, and more inclusive than any other genre of contemporary literature.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/what-we-ve-done-is-make-the-categories-of-science-fiction-and-fantasy/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [You can tell the date of an old science fiction novel by every word on the page. Nothing dates harder and faster and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-can-tell-the-date-of-an-old-science-fiction-novel-by-every-word/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“We live in the most epic of fantasy worlds.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-rese/we-live-in-the-most-epic-of-fantasy-worlds/) [T.L. Rese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-rese/) ## More by T.L. Rese > [“To live is to travel, on a voyage more epic than the odysseys of myth - not from place to place, but through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-rese/to-live-is-to-travel-on-a-voyage-more-epic-than-the-odysseys-of-myth/) [T.L. Rese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-rese/) > [“Sometimes, the inessential is essential.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-rese/sometimes-the-inessential-is-essential/) [T.L. Rese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-rese/) > [“We live in the most epic of fantasy worlds.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-rese/we-live-in-the-most-epic-of-fantasy-worlds/) [T.L. Rese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-rese/) > [“Compared to art, all other professions are but chores.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-rese/compared-to-art-all-other-professions-are-but-chores/) [T.L. Rese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-rese/) > [“There are three certainties in a writer's life: death, taxes, and rejection letters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-rese/there-are-three-certainties-in-a-writer-s-life-death-taxes-and/) [T.L. Rese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-rese/) > [“Growing up is the greatest adventure of all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-rese/growing-up-is-the-greatest-adventure-of-all/) [T.L. Rese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-rese/) > [“Music is a language - and language, at its finest, should be music.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-rese/music-is-a-language-and-language-at-its-finest-should-be-music/) [T.L. Rese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-rese/) > [“History is the diary of humankind; to forget it is to try to navigate the future with no memory of the past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-rese/history-is-the-diary-of-humankind-to-forget-it-is-to-try-to-navigate/) [T.L. Rese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-rese/) > [“There is more magic in our own world than in any world of fantasy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-rese/there-is-more-magic-in-our-own-world-than-in-any-world-of-fantasy/) [T.L. Rese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-rese/) > [“Somewhere beyond the pain, you turn around and realize that life is beautiful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-rese/somewhere-beyond-the-pain-you-turn-around-and-realize-that-life-is/) [T.L. Rese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-rese/) > [“Going to sleep is an adventure: you never know where your dreams will take you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-rese/going-to-sleep-is-an-adventure-you-never-know-where-your-dreams-will/) [T.L. Rese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-rese/) > [“Behind every novel is a greater story of how it came to be published.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-rese/behind-every-novel-is-a-greater-story-of-how-it-came-to-be-published/) [T.L. Rese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-rese/) [Explore all 13 T.L. Rese quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-rese/) ## More Fantasy quotes > [“I am awake. I know what you took. I am coming for you. Vengeance is mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-burks/i-am-awake-i-know-what-you-took-i-am-coming-for-you-vengeance-is-mine/) [Robin Burks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-burks/) > [I avoided nudity unless a film couldn't be told without those scenes. If you look at my films, few of them have that element,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-scacchi/i-avoided-nudity-unless-a-film-couldn-t-be-told-without-those-scenes/) [Greta Scacchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-scacchi/) > [We don't make glamorous movies today. Everything now is very realistic, artistic - and depressing. When is the last time you you saw a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-head/we-don-t-make-glamorous-movies-today-everything-now-is-very-realistic/) [Edith Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-head/) > [I like fantasy, but I don't live and breathe fantasy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-schmidt-hissrich/i-like-fantasy-but-i-don-t-live-and-breathe-fantasy/) [Lauren Schmidt Hissrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-schmidt-hissrich/) > [“Metal makes everything magical. Just ask a unicorn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sybrina-durant/metal-makes-everything-magical-just-ask-a-unicorn/) [Sybrina Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sybrina-durant/) > [“(Evil people) do not believe in forgiveness. Their transgressions are either punished or not punished. That is the only result that matters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-mchugh/evil-people-do-not-believe-in-forgiveness-their-transgressions-are/) [Daniel McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-mchugh/) > [My first three manuscripts were epic fantasy - like high fantasy - and then the fourth one was a historical fantasy about Mozart as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/my-first-three-manuscripts-were-epic-fantasy-like-high-fantasy-and/) [Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/) > [I'm a geek - I read fantasy novels, I play 'World of Warcraft,' I'm a massive gamer, I have 'Star Trek' outfits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kazinsky/i-m-a-geek-i-read-fantasy-novels-i-play-world-of-warcraft-i-m-a/) [Robert Kazinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kazinsky/) > [“When we let go of our battles and open our heart to things as they are, then we come to rest in the present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/when-we-let-go-of-our-battles-and-open-our-heart-to-things-as-they/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [“Perhaps Nesta will take up the blood-drinking habit, too. I certainly believe her threat to rip out my throat. Maybe she'll enjoy the taste.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/perhaps-nesta-will-take-up-the-blood-drinking-habit-too-i-certainly/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [I like to play people that are real, a real person, and then something that's interesting with that person. I think it's a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-bostick/i-like-to-play-people-that-are-real-a-real-person-and-then-something/) [Devon Bostick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-bostick/) > [It's a hindrance in trying to get a serious acting role. The minute a producer has a script and my name comes up, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbi-benton/it-s-a-hindrance-in-trying-to-get-a-serious-acting-role-the-minute-a/) [Barbi Benton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbi-benton/) > [No one will ever write a fantasy novel better than The Hobbit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-one-will-ever-write-a-fantasy-novel-better-than-the-hobbit/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've always loved sci-fi and fantasy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olly-alexander/i-ve-always-loved-sci-fi-and-fantasy/) [Olly Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olly-alexander/) > [“I will always be within reach if you need me, little one...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-von/i-will-always-be-within-reach-if-you-need-me-little-one/) [A.R. Von](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-von/) [Browse all 5,469 Fantasy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The past is fantasy, and the future is science fiction.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "T.L. 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