Flashbacks rarely involve language. Mine certainly didn't. They were visual, motor, and sensory, and they took place in a relentless, horrifying present.
Siri HustvedtRead
The genocide (in Rwanda) was a collective act. What made it possible, what made that final political crime possible, was the absence, the erasure, of seeing the other. Of knowing, of feeling, of being with the other. And when that's removed, then politics_x000D_ can become genocidal.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the dangers of dehumanization and the consequences of failing to recognize and empathize with others.
James Orbinski's quote reflects on the Rwanda genocide, highlighting how collective atrocities can occur when individuals fail to acknowledge and empathize with one another. The absence of understanding and compassion allows for the escalation of political violence into acts of genocide, underscoring the critical importance of seeing and being aware of the humanity in others to prevent such horrors.
Themes
GenocideEmpathyHumanityPoliticsCompassion
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about human rights, this quote can illustrate the importance of empathy in preventing atrocities.
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