It is common to see the viewpoint defended that the past should not be forgotten. However, what if it is painful and counterproductive? David Rieff is a journalist and writer of books on immigration, international conflicts and humanitarianism. His articles regularly appear in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Le Monde, El País and other publications. In his latest book, he questions the way in which peoples tend to relate to the past.