Long before we understand ourselves through the process of self-examination, we understand ourselves in a self-evident way in the family, society and state in which we live. Hans-Georg Gadamer More Quotes by Hans-Georg Gadamer More Quotes From Hans-Georg Gadamer It was clear to me that the forms of consciousness of our inherited and acquired historical education - aesthetic consciousness and historical consciousness - presented alienated forms of our true historical being. Hans-Georg Gadamer consciousness form historical In fact history does not belong to us; but we belong to it. Hans-Georg Gadamer belong fact us history