Quote by Amitav Ghosh: “To be modern is to participate in an accelerating forgetting, a deliberate amnesia.”

This quote critiques modern society's tendency to intentionally overlook or dismiss historical lessons and inconvenient truths. It suggests that progress often comes at the cost of collective memory, implying a conscious effort to forget the past's complexities or consequences in pursuit of a simplified, forward-looking narrative.

From 'The Great Derangement,' this quote reflects Ghosh's critique of the modern world's inability to confront long-term crises like climate change, often by ignoring historical precedents and the cumulative impact of past actions.

Indian novelist and essayist whose work spans colonial history, ecological crisis, and global displacement. His Ibis Trilogy and the essay collection The Great Derangement, published in 2016, are among his most celebrated works. He has taught at Harvard University and Columbia University and received the Dan David Prize in 2010.