The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent, wounding, to the point that we want to destroy or repaint it. We want to be masters of the future only for the power to change the past.
The quote by Milan Kundera reflects a profound perspective on the nature of time and our relationship with it. He suggests that while the future remains empty and unformulated, the past is vivid and burdensome, filled with experiences that can cause discomfort and pain. This leads us to an urge to manipulate and transform our past, as it is marked by memories that affect us deeply. In essence, the past holds a weight that can sometimes feel overwhelming or oppressive.
Kundera's insight implies that our desire for control over the future stems from a longing to rewrite our histories. It indicates a human tendency to desire power not merely for the sake of creating new possibilities but primarily to reshape what has already occurred. This longing indicates a certain dissatisfaction with our past, suggesting that while we may be indifferent to what is yet to come, we are deeply engaged with the remnants of our yesterdays and the scars they leave behind.
