Presidents are evaluated not by what they did by the stroke of their own pen; it's what they persuade Congress to do.
H. W. BrandsRead
Everything that happens today is like something in the past, but it's also unlike things in the past. We never know until an event happens if it's the similarities or differences that matter more.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the complexities of events and how they relate to the past.
H. W. Brands explores the duality of experiences by suggesting that every occurrence today carries elements from the past while simultaneously presenting unique characteristics. The unpredictability of these events challenges our perception, as we often cannot determine whether the recurring patterns or the novel aspects have greater significance until after they unfold.
Themes
HistoryPresentEventsSimilaritiesDifferences
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the impact of historical events on current affairs.
More from H. W. Brands
All quotes →When you look at the development of the American presidency, you see that the presidents who have had the greatest impact are the ones who fit their times most successfully.
H. W. BrandsRead
Similar quotes
Rapine, avarice, expense, This is idolatry; and these we adore; Plain living and high thinking are no more.
William WordsworthRead
About sacrifice and the offering of sacrifices, sacrificial animals think quite differently from those who look on: but they have never been allowed to have their say.
Friedrich NietzscheRead
President Obama's approach embodies the values, the ideas, and the direction America must take to build a 21st century version of the American Dream in a nation of shared opportunities, shared prosperity and shared responsibilities.
William J. ClintonRead
Wonder knows that while you cannot look at the light, you cannot look at anything else without it. It is not exhausted by childhood, but finds its key there. It is a journey like a walk through the woods over the usual obstacles and around the common distractions while the voice of direction leads, saying, 'This is the way, walk ye in it.'
Ravi ZachariasRead
After the war, Germany fully confessed to all its dirty tricks. It's necessary to is draw a line under the past, even if people did something evil. Until we do, wounds won't heal.
Lech WalesaRead
The vulgar man is always the most distinguished, for the very desire to be distinguished is vulgar.
Gilbert K. ChestertonRead