We live in a society of an imposed forgetfulness, a society that depends on public amnesia.
Angela DavisRead
Jails and prisons are designed to break human beings, to convert the population into specimens in a zoo - obedient to our keepers, but dangerous to each other.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote critiques the prison system, suggesting it dehumanizes individuals and fosters conflict.
Angela Davis's quote highlights the inherent flaws in the prison system, arguing that it is constructed not merely to punish but to fundamentally break down and dehumanize individuals. By comparing incarcerated people to zoo specimens, she conveys a sense of loss of autonomy and agency, suggesting that the system creates obedient individuals who are pitted against each other rather than rehabilitated or given the opportunity to thrive within society.
Themes
PrisonJusticeDehumanizationSocietyAuthority
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech addressing prison reform initiatives.
More from Angela Davis
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Imprisonment has become the response of first resort to far too many of our social problems.
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It's true that it's within the realm of cultural politics that young people tend to work through political issues, which I think is good, although it's not going to solve the problems
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Radical simply means 'grasping things at the root.'
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