"The destruction of the past is perhaps the greatest of all crimes"

In this quote, Simone Weil is highlighting the immense significance of protecting history and the repercussions of disregarding it. She recommends that destroying the past is not simply a mere act of eliminating or forgetting, but a severe offense against humankind. By damaging the past, we are essentially erasing the foundations of our present and future. Weil stresses that the past holds important lessons and understanding that shape our understanding of the world and ourselves. For that reason, destroying it is not only a criminal offense versus the past, but also against today and future generations. We need to recognize the significance of maintaining our history and learn from it to prevent duplicating the very same mistakes.