It is by all odds the loftiest of cities. It even managed to reach the highest point in the sky at the lowest moment of the depression.
E. B. WhiteRead
A despot doesn't fear eloquent writers preaching freedom- he fears a drunken poet who may crack a joke that will take hold.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A despotic ruler is more afraid of the unpredictable power of humor than of articulate arguments for freedom.
This quote by E. B. White suggests that while eloquent writers can articulate ideas about freedom, it is the unpredictability of humor, often found in the works of a drunken poet, that holds the true potential to challenge a tyrant's authority. It implies that humor can penetrate the veneer of power and influence people in ways that structured argumentation may not, making it a potent tool against oppression.
Themes
DespotHumorFreedomPoetPower
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech about the importance of artistic freedom, this quote could emphasize the power of humor in challenging authority.
More from E. B. White
All quotes βIt isn't silence you can cut with a knife any more, it's interchange of ideas. Intelligent discussion of practically everything is what is breaking up modern marriage.
E. B. WhiteRead
The main thing I try to do is write as clearly as I can. Because I have the greatest respect for the reader, and if he's going to the trouble of reading what I've written -- I'm a slow reader myself and I guess most people are -- why, the least I can do is make it as easy as possible for him to find out what I'm trying to say, trying to get at. I rewrite a good deal to make it clear.
E. B. WhiteRead
A good farmer is nothing more nor less than a handy man with a sense of humus.
E. B. WhiteRead
All writing is communication; creative writing is communication through revelation-it is the Self-escaping into the open.
E. B. WhiteRead
Writing is not an exercise in excision, it's a journey into sound.
E. B. WhiteRead
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he wanted people to like his mind again-after awhile it might be such a nice place in which to live.
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Of what use is a philosopher who doesn't hurt anybody's feelings?
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