“History may not repeat itself, but it rhymes.”
Often attributed to Mark Twain in various forms (for instance “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it sure does rhyme”) but there is no evidence that he said it (see for instance https://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/01/12/history-rhymes/) although he obviously should have.
“There’s this psychoanalytic adage: If you don’t understand the motivation, look at the consequences and infer the motivation.”
Jordan Peterson in a podcast with Michael Shellenberger (citing the example of Hitler wreaking murderous havoc then committing suicide).
In my latest National Post column I say Trudeau’s mean-spirited, partisan remarks about the truckers’ convoy reflect a chronically divisive approach at a time when Canadians need a respectful exchange of ideas not a surly exchange of insults.
In my latest Loonie Politics column I say there’s a silver lining to people noticing thanks to the pandemic that the Charter doesn’t protect us from overbearing government … but only if we decide to fix the problem, and the Constitution.
“The study of history is the best medicine for a sick mind; for in history you have a record of the infinite variety of human experience plainly set out for all to see; and in that record you can find for yourself and your country both examples and warnings; fine things to take as models, base things, rotten through and through, to avoid.”
Titus Livius, aka “Livy” The Early History of Rome
In my latest Epoch Times column I say it’s not really news that our vaunted socialized medicine delivers terrible results at excessive cost… or that calls for reform always specify that in revamping it nothing must be changed.
“Writing shortly after the Roman disaster at Adrianople in 378 AD, the able historian Ammianus recited a similar list of disasters, and summed up by saying that Rome had come back from all of them and, given political will and good fortune, would do so again. Thirty years later, the Visigoths were in Rome.”
Eric Morse in Globe & Mail August 17 2004
In my latest National Post column I lampoon self-centred objections to the Pope calling preferring pets to children selfish.