I don't think the world will destroy itself in a nuclear cataclysm. On the contrary, we have the capacity to save ourselves and save the planet, and we will use it.
Isabel AllendeRead
Until a few months ago we had a code of honor, and even the worst ruffians behaved with decency. You could leave your gold in a tent with no guard and no one would touch it, but now all that has changed. The law of the jungle rules, the only ideology is greed. Don't let yourself be parted from your weapons, and always travel in pairs or groups, because this is a land of thieves.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on a shift from a code of honor to chaos driven by greed, emphasizing the need for caution in a dangerous environment.
In this quote, Isabel Allende describes a transformation from a society governed by mutual respect and honor to one dominated by selfishness and violence. The decline of decency among individuals has created a precarious situation where trust is absent, and survival depends on vigilance and companionship. Allende's words serve as a cautionary reminder of the fragility of social norms and the inherent risks present when greed becomes the guiding principle in human interactions.
Themes
HonorGreedViolenceSocietyTrustCaution
In practice
Example use cases
During a discussion on societal changes, you might quote Allende to illustrate the decline of values.
More from Isabel Allende
All quotes →My mother is a great artist, but she always treated her paintings like minor postcards. Had she pursued it, she would have been a great artist. Instead, she looked down on her art.
Isabel AllendeRead
I never try to convey a message, I just want to tell a story. Why that story in particular? I have no idea, but I have learned to surrender to the muse. I become obsessed with a theme or with certain stories; they haunt me for years, and finally, I write them.
Isabel AllendeRead
My life is about ups and downs, great joys and great losses.
Isabel AllendeRead
I'm interested in people who have to overcome obstacles, people who are not sheltered by the umbrella of the establishment, marginals.
Isabel AllendeRead
I'm a writer. In Latin America, they say I'm a Latin-American writer because I also write in Spanish and my books are translated, but I am an American citizen and my books are published here, so I'm also an American writer.
Isabel AllendeRead
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