--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: QUESTION: Are you suggesting that history…" description: "\"“QUESTION: Are you suggesting that history is irrelevant, then, and the temporal span of humankind merely the recycling of tropes? ANSWER: Well, I thin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c0/vanessa-place-37937_history_question-are-you-suggesting-that-history_1928021.jpg" --- # QUESTION: Are you suggesting that history is irrelevant… ![“QUESTION: Are you suggesting that history is irrelevant, then, and the temporal span of humankind merely the recycling of tropes? ANSWER: Well, I think it’s two things. It’s always two things, unless it’s three. The first thing is moms and martyrs are the way we will think, just as when we dance…” quote by Vanessa Place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c0/vanessa-place-37937_history_question-are-you-suggesting-that-history_1928021.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c0/vanessa-place-37937_history_question-are-you-suggesting-that-history_1928021.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c0/vanessa-place-37937_history_question-are-you-suggesting-that-history_1928021.jpg) > ““QUESTION: Are you suggesting that history is irrelevant, then, and the temporal span of humankind merely the recycling of tropes? ANSWER: Well, I think it’s two things. It’s always two things, unless it’s three. The first thing is moms and martyrs are the way we will think, just as when we dance we tend to tango. Jung suspected as much, you know, and every story could, I suppose, be seen as such a spyglass. Second, either there is or there isn’t, point-blank, and if there is not, and something besides lead backs our philosophies, then previously Truth flashed its temper like a fictitious schoolgirl showing her panties, then went all cowboy cool in the neonew, barely speaking, keeping mum, despite the fact we’s done forgot dear mammy, savoring the slow satisfying burn of a cigarette before the bonfire of a billion bodies, and still millions more wait their turn, we’re better at keeping our appointments, at any rate, skinny corpses stripped of teeth and hair and skin, difference plucked like daisies, for there is no difference; in ether words, to hear the Great Apes tell it, every plague is one for the pointless and every poppy’s got jack to do with Us. Hoohah! A particularly ballsy bit of business given the most recent nearing too close, we’re singing our rondel with a bellyful of gravy and sourmash, we’re at the highpocked end, and there’s no more to come, come the dawn. Though bear in mind we’ve no pret-a-porter poodle sniffing around here, nossir, we’re not afraid to say stay, still, we’ll stay right here, eating off the apple of your eye, carving the plump of your cheek caught in the family photo, the flash in the pan goes off and so does your head, or so Buttercup says, we’re stuck, that is to say, in the over-brought dawn of this new clearer Age, in which we play patsy to witness just this: everything is beauty-full, in its own way. . . .”” [Vanessa Place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-place/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. History repeats patterns, yet meaning is fluid; we must confront paradoxes and absurdities in seeking truth. **In simple terms:** History repeats, meaning shifts; confront paradoxes. Key Takeaway Embrace ambiguity and question assumptions. Themes philosophy absurdity paradox Mood critical provocative Type satirical philosophical When to use this quote - literary analysis - philosophical debate - creative writing - social critique Key Concepts Postmodernism deconstruction existentialism Questions to Reflect On - How do you find meaning amid contradictions? - What role does humor play in serious discourse? A Different Perspective May be seen as overly chaotic or nihilistic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Family photo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family-photo/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) ## Related quotes > [Life is a series of family photos in which you keep moving to the rear until finally you're a portrait in the background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/life-is-a-series-of-family-photos-in-which-you-keep-moving-to-the/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [One of my favorite things about watching the reruns is looking at my clothes. I don't really remember most of them, so it's like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-milano/one-of-my-favorite-things-about-watching-the-reruns-is-looking-at-my/) [Alyssa Milano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa-milano/) > [“I've seen enough family photos in enough homes to know that the term "suitable for framing" should have a stricter definition.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-bosworth/i-ve-seen-enough-family-photos-in-enough-homes-to-know-that-the-term/) Alex Bosworth > [“He was miles past middle age with a gut that housed ample good meals. A patch of silver hair formed a trail from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-l-bates/he-was-miles-past-middle-age-with-a-gut-that-housed-ample-good-meals/) [Brandi L. Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-l-bates/) > [“Arriving home, each man finds a woman and children waiting at the door, introduces himself, helps with the evening meal, reads stories to his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/arriving-home-each-man-finds-a-woman-and-children-waiting-at-the-door/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“Art lovers collect paintings that demonstrate some form of imperceptible complexity. Abstract images with vague messages and symbols that keep you guessing and wondering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-fordham/art-lovers-collect-paintings-that-demonstrate-some-form-of/) Mindy Fordham > [I don't often post intimate family photos online, because I am a firm believer that you can (and should!) have meaningful relationships with people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randi-zuckerberg/i-don-t-often-post-intimate-family-photos-online-because-i-am-a-firm/) [Randi Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randi-zuckerberg/) > [Family photo albums are so powerful in that they make kids feel valued, cherished and respected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-o-dell/family-photo-albums-are-so-powerful-in-that-they-make-kids-feel/) [Nancy O'Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-o-dell/) > [The only picture I've got in my house - other than family photos, of course - is one of me with Muhammad Ali.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-mccoist/the-only-picture-i-ve-got-in-my-house-other-than-family-photos-of/) [Ally McCoist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-mccoist/) > [All the photos you see on our blog are just family photos in the same way anybody else would do with their children. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cannon/all-the-photos-you-see-on-our-blog-are-just-family-photos-in-the-same/) [Nick Cannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cannon/) > [I always put clothes and family photos under the mattress, in case the house burns down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-kardashian/i-always-put-clothes-and-family-photos-under-the-mattress-in-case-the/) [Kim Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-kardashian/) > [“After smiling for a family photo with his daughters, John announced, “All right. I talked to the boys. Beckett, you can stay for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-anastasia/after-smiling-for-a-family-photo-with-his-daughters-john-announced/) [Debra Anastasia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-anastasia/) > [“On her last visit, the girl stole one of his family photographs right out of the frame. He thinks this means she is starting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-russell/on-her-last-visit-the-girl-stole-one-of-his-family-photographs-right/) [Karen Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-russell/) > [When I first met Big, we were both at a 'Bad Boy' family photo shoot. I was kind of familiar with the name Biggie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-first-met-big-we-were-both-at-a-bad-boy-family-photo-shoot-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People are going to like 3-D in their family photos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-stringer/people-are-going-to-like-3-d-in-their-family-photos/) [Howard Stringer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-stringer/) ## More by Vanessa Place > [“We haven’t got that kind of time. All we have is mind and mind, that slate of neurons for which the skull serves as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-place/we-haven-t-got-that-kind-of-time-all-we-have-is-mind-and-mind-that/) [Vanessa Place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-place/) > [“Life’s a Shepherd’s stew, he thinks, with thunderstruck clarity, there’s too much stringy this and too little the soft that, and the sweet nubbin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-place/life-s-a-shepherd-s-stew-he-thinks-with-thunderstruck-clarity-there-s/) [Vanessa Place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-place/) > [“But whosh mocking who, Moan Sooie, who hung hope on me like a pre-lit fuse, I mean shit and goddamn, why supply a set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-place/but-whosh-mocking-who-moan-sooie-who-hung-hope-on-me-like-a-pre-lit/) [Vanessa Place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-place/) > [“Each metropolis preselects its suicide like an officer packs a capsule, for if a city lives by remembering, mein Leibnitz Herr, the opposite must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-place/each-metropolis-preselects-its-suicide-like-an-officer-packs-a/) [Vanessa Place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-place/) > [“In the image of God created he him.' We are the cheap sons and daughters the Father desires, for filthy Job triumphed over the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-place/in-the-image-of-god-created-he-him-we-are-the-cheap-sons-and/) [Vanessa Place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-place/) > [“and do you think the new brood made it okay for Job to have seen those other sons and daughters dead, their lips shrinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-place/and-do-you-think-the-new-brood-made-it-okay-for-job-to-have-seen/) [Vanessa Place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-place/) > [“Myles P. doesn’t resist, he sinks down and down, letting the sound of Willard’s lisp close over him light as a foaming wave and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-place/myles-p-doesn-t-resist-he-sinks-down-and-down-letting-the-sound-of/) [Vanessa Place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-place/) > [“but being over’s no problemo, it’s the getting there that’s a bitch or a boor or a bother, to that small apresbellum, the birth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-place/but-being-over-s-no-problemo-it-s-the-getting-there-that-s-a-bitch-or/) [Vanessa Place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-place/) > [“Grief is like any dog, once in and fed, it won’t go, but crawls in a corner and stays. And my sorrow is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-place/grief-is-like-any-dog-once-in-and-fed-it-won-t-go-but-crawls-in-a/) [Vanessa Place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-place/) > [“He smiles into the sun. He loves his wife more than life itself, why he even says, “I love you more than life itself,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-place/he-smiles-into-the-sun-he-loves-his-wife-more-than-life-itself-why-he/) [Vanessa Place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-place/) > [“Aquinas said if you have knowledge you don’t need faith, and I think he was on to something, but for now all I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-place/aquinas-said-if-you-have-knowledge-you-don-t-need-faith-and-i-think/) [Vanessa Place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-place/) [Explore all 12 Vanessa Place quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-place/) ## More Family photo quotes > [Life is a series of family photos in which you keep moving to the rear until finally you're a portrait in the background.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/life-is-a-series-of-family-photos-in-which-you-keep-moving-to-the/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [When I first met Big, we were both at a 'Bad Boy' family photo shoot. I was kind of familiar with the name Biggie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-first-met-big-we-were-both-at-a-bad-boy-family-photo-shoot-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“On her last visit, the girl stole one of his family photographs right out of the frame. He thinks this means she is starting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-russell/on-her-last-visit-the-girl-stole-one-of-his-family-photographs-right/) [Karen Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-russell/) > [“After smiling for a family photo with his daughters, John announced, “All right. I talked to the boys. Beckett, you can stay for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-anastasia/after-smiling-for-a-family-photo-with-his-daughters-john-announced/) [Debra Anastasia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-anastasia/) > [I always put clothes and family photos under the mattress, in case the house burns down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-kardashian/i-always-put-clothes-and-family-photos-under-the-mattress-in-case-the/) [Kim Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-kardashian/) > [All the photos you see on our blog are just family photos in the same way anybody else would do with their children. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cannon/all-the-photos-you-see-on-our-blog-are-just-family-photos-in-the-same/) [Nick Cannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cannon/) > [The only picture I've got in my house - other than family photos, of course - is one of me with Muhammad Ali.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-mccoist/the-only-picture-i-ve-got-in-my-house-other-than-family-photos-of/) [Ally McCoist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-mccoist/) > [Family photo albums are so powerful in that they make kids feel valued, cherished and respected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-o-dell/family-photo-albums-are-so-powerful-in-that-they-make-kids-feel/) [Nancy O'Dell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-o-dell/) > [I don't often post intimate family photos online, because I am a firm believer that you can (and should!) have meaningful relationships with people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randi-zuckerberg/i-don-t-often-post-intimate-family-photos-online-because-i-am-a-firm/) [Randi Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randi-zuckerberg/) > [“Art lovers collect paintings that demonstrate some form of imperceptible complexity. Abstract images with vague messages and symbols that keep you guessing and wondering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-fordham/art-lovers-collect-paintings-that-demonstrate-some-form-of/) Mindy Fordham > [“Arriving home, each man finds a woman and children waiting at the door, introduces himself, helps with the evening meal, reads stories to his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/arriving-home-each-man-finds-a-woman-and-children-waiting-at-the-door/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“He was miles past middle age with a gut that housed ample good meals. A patch of silver hair formed a trail from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-l-bates/he-was-miles-past-middle-age-with-a-gut-that-housed-ample-good-meals/) [Brandi L. Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-l-bates/) > [“I've seen enough family photos in enough homes to know that the term "suitable for framing" should have a stricter definition.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-bosworth/i-ve-seen-enough-family-photos-in-enough-homes-to-know-that-the-term/) Alex Bosworth > [One of my favorite things about watching the reruns is looking at my clothes. I don't really remember most of them, so it's like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-milano/one-of-my-favorite-things-about-watching-the-reruns-is-looking-at-my/) [Alyssa Milano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa-milano/) > [People are going to like 3-D in their family photos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-stringer/people-are-going-to-like-3-d-in-their-family-photos/) [Howard Stringer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-stringer/) [Browse all 43 Family photo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family-photo/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“QUESTION: Are you suggesting that history is irrelevant, then, and the temporal span of humankind merely the recycling of tropes? ANSWER: Well, I think it’s two things. It’s always two things, unless it’s three. The first thing is moms and martyrs are the way we will think, just as when we dance we tend to tango. Jung suspected as much, you know, and every story could, I suppose, be seen as such a spyglass. Second, either there is or there isn’t, point-blank, and if there is not, and something besides lead backs our philosophies, then previously Truth flashed its temper like a fictitious schoolgirl showing her panties, then went all cowboy cool in the neonew, barely speaking, keeping mum, despite the fact we’s done forgot dear mammy, savoring the slow satisfying burn of a cigarette before the bonfire of a billion bodies, and still millions more wait their turn, we’re better at keeping our appointments, at any rate, skinny corpses stripped of teeth and hair and skin, difference plucked like daisies, for there is no difference; in ether words, to hear the Great Apes tell it, every plague is one for the pointless and every poppy’s got jack to do with Us. Hoohah! A particularly ballsy bit of business given the most recent nearing too close, we’re singing our rondel with a bellyful of gravy and sourmash, we’re at the highpocked end, and there’s no more to come, come the dawn. 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