I'll tell you something, and this is true: I've never been able to write a film which I didn't respect. I just can't do it. I'm very happy about all the films I haven't done.
Harold PinterRead
It's so easy for propaganda to work, and dissent to be mocked.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the ease with which propaganda can influence people and the tendency to ridicule those who disagree.
Harold Pinter's quote emphasizes the power of propaganda in shaping public opinion and the societal tendency to dismiss or mock dissenting views. It reflects a deep concern for the mechanisms through which truth can be obscured and how individuals who challenge the status quo are often marginalized or ridiculed, underscoring the importance of critical thinking and the protection of diverse perspectives in a healthy society.
Themes
PropagandaDissentTruthSocietyMockery
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about media literacy, this quote can be used to highlight the importance of questioning sources.
More from Harold Pinter
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I never think of myself as wise. I think of myself as possessing a critical intelligence which I intend to allow to operate.
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There are places in my heart...where no living soul...has...or can ever...trespass.
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The speech we hear is an indication of that which we don't hear. It is a necessary avoidance, a violent, sly, and anguished or mocking smoke screen which keeps the other in its true place. When true silence falls we are left with echo but are nearer nakedness. One way of looking at speech is to say that it is a constant stratagem to cover nakedness.
Harold PinterRead
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