It's been unsettling to discover that every form of narrative, even one that purports to tell the truth, is a kind of lying.
Damon GalgutRead
Being gay immediately placed me outside the values of the society I was growing up in. Apartheid was a very patriarchal system, so its assumptions seemed foreign to me from the outset. I've always had the advantage of alienation.
Interpretation
The quote reflects the experience of feeling alienated due to one's identity in a repressive society.
Damon Galgut expresses how being gay made him feel disconnected from societal norms and values, particularly within the context of a patriarchal system like apartheid. He suggests that this alienation, while challenging, has provided him with a unique perspective that helped him see the world differently, potentially recognizing the limitations and flaws of that societal structure more clearly than those who conform to its values.
In practice
In a discussion about identity and societal norms during a community meeting.
It's been unsettling to discover that every form of narrative, even one that purports to tell the truth, is a kind of lying.
Anyone who has lived through it, or those who are now living through it, knows that caring about an addict is as complex and fraught and debilitating as addiction itself.
Will you, or will you not, quit me? I now demanded in a sudden passion, advancing close to him. "I would prefer not to quit you", he replied, gently emphasizing the not.
There is a reason that many African Americans have a healthy mistrust for law enforcement. We don't always feel protected or served by that particular institution.
We think constant connection will make us feel less lonely. The opposite is true.
If we fail to give our time with those we love, one day we will live to regret it.
In the enriching of marriage, the big things are the little things. There must be constant appreciation for each other and thoughtful demonstration of gratitude. A couple must encourage and help each other grow. Marriage is a joint quest for the good, the beautiful, and the divine
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