The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference.
No human race is superior; no religious faith is inferior. All collective judgments are wrong. Only racists make them.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes equality among all races and faiths, condemning collective judgments as incorrect and the mindset of racism.
Elie Wiesel's quote reflects on the fundamental equality of all human beings, asserting that no race holds superiority over another and that no religious belief is lesser in value. It critiques the tendency to make blanket judgments about groups based on race or religion, labeling such views as inherently racist and wrong. By emphasizing the need to see individuals beyond their group identities, Wiesel promotes a vision of humanity rooted in respect and understanding.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about human rights, one might quote Wiesel to emphasize the importance of rejecting racism.
More from Elie Wiesel
All quotes →With every cell of my being and with every fiber of my memory I oppose the death penalty in all forms. I do not believe any civilized society should be at the service of death. I don't think it's human to become an agent of the angel of death.
Certain things, certain events, seem inexplicable only for a time: up to the moment when the veil is torn aside.
We're alone, but we are capable of communicating to one another both our loneliness and our desire to break through it. You say, 'I'm alone.' Someone answers, 'I'm alone too.' There's a shift in the scale of power. A bridge is thrown between the two abysses.
No one is as capable of gratitude as one who has escaped the kingdom of night.
My loyalty to my people, to our people, and to Israel comes first and prevents me from saying anything critical of Israel outside Israel… As a Jew I see my role as a melitz yosher, a defender of Israel: I defend even her mistakes… I must identify with whatever Israel does – even with her errors.
Similar quotes
I believe that at this point in history, the greatest danger to our freedom and way of life comes from the reasonable fear of omniscient State powers kept in check by nothing more than policy documents.
Now, we occupy a lowly position, both in space and rank in comparison with the heavenly sphere, and the Almighty is Most High not in space, but with respect to absolute existence, greatness and power.
We offer peace and neighborliness to all the neighboring states and their peoples, and invite them to cooperate with the independent Hebrew nation for the common good of all.
In some ways I feel sorry for racists and for religious fanatics, because they so much miss the point of being human, and deserve a sort of pity. But then I harden my heart, and decide to hate them all the more, because of the misery they inflict and because of the contemptible excuses they advance for doing so.
Life is very fleeting. It’s important to be gentle and optimistic. We look behind and think what we’ve done in this life has been good. It was simple; it was modest. Everyone creates their own story and moves on. That’s it. I don’t feel particularly important. What we create is not important. We’re very insignificant.
Science, philosophy and religion are bound to converge as they draw nearer to the whole.