I don't think you should feel about a film. You should feel about a woman, not a movie. You can't kiss a movie.
Jean-Luc GodardRead
Killing a man in defense of an idea is not defending an idea; it is killing a man.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes that taking a life in the name of an idea does not uphold the idea itself; it diminishes its value.
Jean-Luc Godard's quote critiques the justification of violence in the name of defending ideas. It suggests that resorting to murder undermines the moral standing of the idea being defended, as the act of killing inherently contradicts the values that many ideas promote, such as life, compassion, and respect for others.
Themes
ViolenceDefenseIdeasMoralityPhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
During a debate on the ethics of war, one might quote this to argue for non-violence.
More from Jean-Luc Godard
All quotes βSometime reality is too complex. Stories give it form.
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More or less, I am always saying, 'Give me more. Let's do what has not been done.'
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Objects exist and if one pays more attention to them than to people, it is precisely because they exist more than the people. Dead objects are still alive. Living people are often already dead.
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Cinema is not a series of abstract ideas, but rather the phrasing of moments.
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Suddenly, I don't know what to say. It happens often to me. I know what I want to say, I think about whether it is what I mean, but when the moment comes to speak, I can't say it. - Nana Kleinfrankenheim, Vivre Sa Vie.
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