"We are a people who do not want to keep much of the past in our heads. It is considered unhealthy in America to remember mistakes, neurotic to think about them, psychotic to dwell on them"

This quote by Lillian Hellman talks to the American attitude of avoiding the past. We are an individuals who do not want to keep much of the past in our heads, instead choosing to concentrate on today and the future. We see it as unhealthy to remember mistakes, aberrant to think of them, and psychotic to dwell on them. This attitude of avoidance is a reflection of our culture's emphasis on progress and the idea that we can always do better. We are motivated to proceed from our mistakes and focus on the future, instead of dwelling on the past. This quote speaks with the idea that in America, it is much better to forget the past and concentrate on the present and future.