"every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right"
(Orvels)

"The reason why all totalitarians want to erase the past is that it's very presence in the minds of the people reminds them that things weren't always the way they are. That another life, other values, another political order is possible.

The Taliban blowing up Buddhist statues in Afghanistan is EXACTLY the same thing as this."
(rando)