"I don't think the human mind can comprehend the past and the future. They are both just illusions that can manipulate you into thinking theres some kind of change"
About this Quote
The intent feels double-edged. On one side, it’s a quiet Buddhist move: the only thing you can really inhabit is the present, and all the mental time travel we do is borrowed footage. On the other, it’s a cultural jab at progress stories - the comforting idea that history is marching somewhere, that the future will redeem the mess, that your past self explains your current one. Dylan has always distrusted tidy arcs. He changes masks, dodges labels, and refuses to become a stable symbol. This quote fits that posture: don’t let yesterday or tomorrow conscript you.
The subtext is about manipulation. “Illusions” aren’t merely false; they’re useful. Past and future become tools: nostalgia sells politics, grievance becomes identity, “soon” becomes a way to postpone action, “back then” becomes a way to excuse it. The kicker is “thinking theres some kind of change” - not that change never happens, but that the story of change can be the real con. Dylan’s skepticism isn’t despair; it’s a demand for attention to what’s right in front of you, before someone else writes your timeline for you.
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Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Dylan, Bob. (2026, January 15). I don't think the human mind can comprehend the past and the future. They are both just illusions that can manipulate you into thinking theres some kind of change. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-dont-think-the-human-mind-can-comprehend-the-5106/
Chicago Style
Dylan, Bob. "I don't think the human mind can comprehend the past and the future. They are both just illusions that can manipulate you into thinking theres some kind of change." FixQuotes. January 15, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-dont-think-the-human-mind-can-comprehend-the-5106/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I don't think the human mind can comprehend the past and the future. They are both just illusions that can manipulate you into thinking theres some kind of change." FixQuotes, 15 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-dont-think-the-human-mind-can-comprehend-the-5106/. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.













