I began writing when I was still in the British Foreign Service, and it was then understood that even if you wrote about butterfly collecting, you used another name.
John Le CarreRead
In every war zone that I've been in, there has been a reality and then there has been the public perception of why the war was being fought. In every crisis, the issues have been far more complex than the public has been allowed to know.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Public perception of conflict often oversimplifies the complex realities behind it.
John Le Carre highlights the disparity between the realities observed in war zones and the simplified narratives presented to the public. He underscores the complexity of underlying issues in crises, suggesting that public understanding is often limited and shaped by external narratives rather than the nuanced truth of the situation.
Themes
WarPerceptionRealityComplexityCrisis
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about the media's portrayal of military conflicts.
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All quotes →The cat sat on the mat is not a story. The cat sat on the other cat’s mat is a story.
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Coming home from very lonely places, all of us go a little mad: whether from great personal success, or just an all-night drive, we are the sole survivors of a world no one else has ever seen.
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If I had to put a name to it, I would wish that all my books were entertainments. I think the first thing you've got to do is grab the reader by the ear, and make him sit down and listen. Make him laugh, make him feel. We all want to be entertained at a very high level.
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We've had enough." He took back the report and jammed it under his arm. "We've had a bellyful, in fact." "And like everyone who's had enough," said Control as Alleline noisily left the room, "he wants more.
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