In history there are no control groups and nobody can say what would have happened otherwise. We cry thinking about what could have happened in place of what happened, but this eventuality does not exist, it never existed. They say that those who do not know the story are condemned to repeat it, but I don't think you know it serves something. The greed, madness and attraction for blood are a constant of history, and this is something that even God - who knows everything that can be known - seems unable to modify.
The text reflects on the nature of history and its unpredictability. It points out that, unlike scientific experiments, history lacks control groups to help envision alternative outcomes. This uncertainty leads to a longing for what might have been, but ultimately, those possibilities are mere speculations that never materialized. The author suggests that this fixation on alternate realities is unproductive since the events that occur are definitive and irreversible.
The author also critiques the commonly held belief that studying history prevents its repetition. Cormac McCarthy emphasizes that fundamental human traits like greed and violence have persisted throughout time, indicating a bleak view of human behavior. Even a divine perspective cannot seemingly alter these recurring patterns, suggesting a deep-rooted nature of humanity that remains unchanged across ages.