I have often seen the quote
'Those who do not learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them'
blandly passed off as a modern day truism,
no particular target of it's warning pointed out.
When it is quoted, the writer neither credits the author,
Spanish/American poet and philosopher George Santayana
nor recognises that in recycling the quote
the person repeating the quote is recycling
an old blame game, where the knowing
blame the unknowing for not being like them,
covering up how close to being unknowing,
and like what they criticise, they might be.
Despair that renews itself so unknowingly
reflects rather poorly on its own fallibility.
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