The fact is there are no stories I can tell my friends that will make them feel better. History cannot be erased, although we can soothe ourselves by speculating about it.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Stories cannot fix pain because history is permanent. We cope by imagining alternatives to what happened.
- In plain terms
- You can't change the past, so you try to feel better by guessing about it.
- What can you take from it?
- Accept that history is fixed and focus on coping.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What stories do you tell yourself?
- How do you cope with regret?
Another view
Sometimes stories do help people feel better even if they don't change history.
More from Margaret Atwood
Everyone said he was a fool. Everyone said she was a clever woman. They used the word ensnare.
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