The past is not simply the past, but a prism through which the subject filters his own changing self-image.
Meaning of the quote
The way we think about the past is not just about what happened before, but how it shapes how we see ourselves now. The past is like a special lens that we use to look at our own lives and how we have changed over time.
About Doris Kearns Goodwin
Doris Kearns Goodwin is an acclaimed American biographer, historian, and political commentator. She has written extensively about U.S. presidents, including winning the Pulitzer Prize for her book on Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. Goodwin has also produced television documentaries about prominent historical figures like Abraham Lincoln and George Washington.
More quotes from Doris Kearns Goodwin
The past is not simply the past, but a prism through which the subject filters his own changing self-image.
American biographer and historian (born 1943)
That is what leadership is all about: staking your ground ahead of where opinion is and convincing people, not simply following the popular opinion of the moment.
American biographer and historian (born 1943)
Where’s the progress that we’re going to see in Afghanistan? You have to keep public support both on the economy and the war or these things will really become troubling.
American biographer and historian (born 1943)
Once a president gets to the White House, the only audience that is left that really matters is history.
American biographer and historian (born 1943)