We took away your art because we thought it would reveal your souls. Or to put it more finely, we did it to prove you had souls at all.
Kazuo IshiguroRead
Perhaps one day, all these conflicts will end, and it won't be because of great statesmen or churches or organisations like this one. It'll be because people have changed. They'll be like you, Puffin. More a mixture. So why not become a mongrel? It's healthy.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that true change and resolution of conflicts come from individual transformation rather than institutions or leaders.
Kazuo Ishiguro's quote emphasizes that the end of conflicts does not rely solely on influential figures or organizations but is rooted in the personal changes of individuals. By embracing diversity and becoming more inclusive, much like the concept of being a 'mongrel,' society can achieve a healthier and more harmonious state. This highlights the importance of personal growth and acceptance in driving broader societal change.
Themes
ChangeIndividualDiversityTransformationConflict
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about social reform and the importance of personal accountability.
More from Kazuo Ishiguro
All quotes βYou need to remember that. If youβre to have decent lives, you have to know who you are and what lies ahead of you, every one of you.
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I keep thinking about this river somewhere, with the water moving really fast. And these two people in the water, trying to hold onto each other, holding on as hard as they can, but in the end it's just too much. The current's too strong. They've got to let go, drift apart. That's how it is with us. It's a shame, Kath, because we've loved each other all our lives. But in the end, we can't stay together forever.
Kazuo IshiguroRead
What I'm not sure about, is if our lives have been so different from the lives of the people we save. We all complete. Maybe none of us really understand what we've lived through, or feel we've had enough time.
Kazuo IshiguroRead
If you were a boy and a girl and you were in love with each other, really, properly in love, and if you could show it, then the people who run Hailsham, they sorted it out for you. They sorted it out so you could have a few years together before you began your donations.
Kazuo IshiguroRead
We all live inside bodies that will deteriorate. But when you look at human beings, they're capable of very decent things: love, loyalty. When time is running out, they don't care about possessions or status. They want to put things right if they've done wrong.
Kazuo IshiguroRead
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