The possibility of being as free with the camera as we are with the pen is a fantastic prospect for the creative life of the 21st century.
Carlos FuentesRead
In the name of certainty, the greatest crimes have been committed against humanity.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quest for certainty can lead to justifications for inhumane actions. This highlights the dangers of dogmatic beliefs.
Carlos Fuentes points out that throughout history, the desire for certainty and absolute beliefs has often led to justification for horrific crimes against humanity. In our pursuit of certainty, we risk committing violence and oppression, as individuals and societies fall into the trap of believing that their convictions, however extreme, are justified.
Themes
CertaintyCrimesHumanityBeliefsPhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about ethics and history, this quote can underline how dogma has driven harmful actions.
More from Carlos Fuentes
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Literature overtakes history, for literature gives you more than one life. It expands experience and opens new opportunities to readers.
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One wants to tell a story, like Scheherezade, in order not to die. It's one of the oldest urges in mankind. It's a way of stalling death.
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No, it's not that they're bad. It's that they're obliged to pretend they're good. They've been brought up to deceive and be cunning, to protect themselves from our society. I don't want to be like that.
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You have an absolute freedom in Mexican writing today in which you don't necessarily have to deal with the Mexican identity. You know why? Because we have an identity... We know who we are. We know what it means to be a Mexican.
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