--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes I feel I don't want to know…" description: "\"“Sometimes I feel I don't want to know anything more about [history] than I know already. [...] Because what's the use of learning that I am one of a l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/756/thomas-hardy-410_history_sometimes-i-feel-i-don-t-want-to-know-an_2345820.jpg" --- # Sometimes I feel I don't want to know anything more about… ![“Sometimes I feel I don't want to know anything more about [history] than I know already. [...] Because what's the use of learning that I am one of a long row only--finding out that there is set down in some old book somebody just like me, and to know that I shall only act her part; making me sad…” quote by Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/756/thomas-hardy-410_history_sometimes-i-feel-i-don-t-want-to-know-an_2345820.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/756/thomas-hardy-410_history_sometimes-i-feel-i-don-t-want-to-know-an_2345820.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/756/thomas-hardy-410_history_sometimes-i-feel-i-don-t-want-to-know-an_2345820.jpg) > ““Sometimes I feel I don't want to know anything more about \[history\] than I know already. \[...\] Because what's the use of learning that I am one of a long row only--finding out that there is set down in some old book somebody just like me, and to know that I shall only act her part; making me sad, that's all. The best is not to remember that your nature and you past doings have been kist like thousands' and thousands', and that your coming life and doings'll be like thousands' and thousands'. \[...\] I shouldn't mind learning why--why the sun do shine on the just and the unjust alike, \[...\] but that's what books will not tell me.”” [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) ## 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 feels overwhelmed by history, seeing personal life as a tiny part of an endless chain, leading to a sense of futility and sadness. **In simple terms:** History feels endless and makes personal actions seem insignificant. Key Takeaway Accept limited knowledge, focus on present actions. Themes existentialism history determinism sadness meaninglessness Mood melancholic reflective thoughtful Type literary philosophical existential When to use this quote - personal reflection - literary analysis - psychological coping - education about history - creative writing Key Concepts philosophical determinism personal agency historical perspective Questions to Reflect On - How does recognizing continuity affect personal responsibility? - Can we find meaning despite perceived insignificance? A Different Perspective History may inspire fatalism, reducing motivation to act. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alike Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alike-books-4024971/) [Books Tell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books-tell-306033/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [History Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history-know/) [Know History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-history/) [Learning Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning-long-712468/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [Because what's the use of learning that I am one of a long row only - finding out that there is set down in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/because-what-s-the-use-of-learning-that-i-am-one-of-a-long-row-only/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [“Encouraged by this to a further examination of his opinions, she proceeded to question him on the subject of books; her favourite authors were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/encouraged-by-this-to-a-further-examination-of-his-opinions-she/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“Reading history is good for all of us. 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I feel that because I know history, and I know the history of so many cultures; I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-hong-kingston/it-seems-that-writing-chose-me-i-feel-that-because-i-know-history-and/) [Maxine Hong Kingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-hong-kingston/) > [If you know your history, then you would know where you coming from, then you wouldn't have to ask me, who the heck do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-marley/if-you-know-your-history-then-you-would-know-where-you-coming-from/) [Bob Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-marley/) > [Men make history, but they can never know the history they are making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-j-ellis/men-make-history-but-they-can-never-know-the-history-they-are-making/) [Joseph J. Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-j-ellis/) > [Reading history is good for all of us, he says, not surprisingly, perhaps, but his rationale is a fresh, somewhat bracing thought: If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/reading-history-is-good-for-all-of-us-he-says-not-surprisingly/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People who make history know nothing about history. You can see that in the sort of history they make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/people-who-make-history-know-nothing-about-history-you-can-see-that/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [I believe this generation should know their history and they should know that the struggle's not over yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-believe-this-generation-should-know-their-history-and-they-should/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [If you know anything about me and my history, you know I'm very particular about my projects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-dre/if-you-know-anything-about-me-and-my-history-you-know-i-m-very/) [Dr. Dre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-dre/) > [A lot of guys have had a lot of fun joking about Henry Ford because he admitted one time that he didn't know history.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/a-lot-of-guys-have-had-a-lot-of-fun-joking-about-henry-ford-because/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [If you don't know your history, you can't know your future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-henry/if-you-don-t-know-your-history-you-can-t-know-your-future/) [Lenny Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-henry/) > [In the 1960s, the civil rights movement was about getting to know your culture, your history. I know all about my history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afeni-shakur/in-the-1960s-the-civil-rights-movement-was-about-getting-to-know-your/) [Afeni Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afeni-shakur/) > [“I began learning long ago that those who are happiest are those who do the most for others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t-washington/i-began-learning-long-ago-that-those-who-are-happiest-are-those-who/) [Booker T. Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t-washington/) ## More by Thomas Hardy > [“He grew away from old associations, and saw something new in life and humanity. 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Part of her body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/as-soon-as-she-could-discern-the-outline-of-the-house-it-had-all-its/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [ The perfect woman, you see \[is\] a working-woman; not an idler; not a fine lady; but one who \[uses\] her hands and her head… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/the-perfect-woman-you-see-is-a-working-woman-not-an-idler-not-a-fine/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [“The Sinister Spirit sneered: 'It had to be!' 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It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [What is history after all? History is facts which become lies in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/what-is-history-after-all-history-is-facts-which-become-lies-in-the/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [Things live and die, and then someone processes them into edible portions. This is a complete telling of the story, 'Food.' 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[...] Because what's the use of learning that I am one of a long row only--finding out that there is set down in some old book somebody just like me, and to know that I shall only act her part; making me sad, that's all. The best is not to remember that your nature and you past doings have been kist like thousands' and thousands', and that your coming life and doings'll be like thousands' and thousands'. 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