on what it means to never forget

[spacklegeek]

Nathaniel asked a question on Facebook earlier today, one of his deliberately-vague numbers worded in order to provoke a response. He does this from time to time, less because he cares about getting a certain kind of answer and more just to get people talking

Comments

[porcelain_ocean]

Never forget is a demand and I can't get behind it. Much like the other demands that have come from 9/11, it's fear mongering and PR which is amazing for companies invested in war but is incredibly detrimental to everyone else. The war on terror is fear mongering. What is terror and how does anyone know when we've conquered it? because it's not a specific thing it can always be changed and the fear will always run rampant. I've never been to any country so obsessed with fear, both perceived and real (though not in the ways they think). I don't need that fear thrown back in my face in ways I choose not to remember it, I've experienced enough during those days and subsequent months and prefer to hold those memories at arms length. Not to forget, but so they cannot hurt me anymore.

I much prefer the WWII version - lest we forget. It's not demanding or even presuming that we will, merely a caution that we will repeat our pasts if we do.

[spacklegeek]

*gestures to all of this* Yes.