It is dangerous to be an American Negro male. America has never wanted its Negroes to be men, and does not, generally, treat them as men. It treats them as mascots, pets, or things.
James A. BaldwinRead
Experience, which destroys innocence, also leads one back to it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Life experiences can strip away a person's innocence but can also guide them back to a more genuine understanding of life.
James A. Baldwin's quote reflects on the dual nature of experience; it can be harsh and disillusioning, shattering the naive perceptions of the world. However, through these trials, individuals often gain insight and perspective, enabling them to return to a state of innocence, but with a deeper appreciation and understanding of life.
Themes
ExperienceInnocenceWisdomUnderstandingGrowth
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared during a motivational speech about resilience and personal growth.
More from James A. Baldwin
All quotes →The white man discovered the Cross by way of the Bible, but the black man discovered the Bible by way of the Cross.
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Those kids aren't dumb. But the people who run these schools want to make sure they don't get smart: they are really teaching the kids to be slaves.
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The reason people think it's important to be white is that they think it's important not to be black.
James A. BaldwinRead
The trick is to love somebody.... If you love one person, you see everybody else differently.
James A. BaldwinRead
Every legend, moreover, contains its residuum of truth, and the root function of language is to control the universe by describing it.
James A. BaldwinRead
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The one who confidently looks forward to an eternal reward for his efforts in mortality is constantly sustained through his deepest trials. When he is disappointed in love, he does not commit suicide. When loved ones die, he doesn’t despair; when he loses a coveted contest, he doesn’t falter; when war and destruction dissipate his future, he doesn’t sink into a depression. He lives above his world and never loses sight of the goal of his salvation.
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