The Enlightenment, the Age of Reason, is seen as the beginning of modern depravity.
Umberto EcoRead
We are a pluralist civilisation because we allow mosques to be built in our countries, and we are not going to stop simply because Christian missionaries are thrown into prison in Kabul. If we did so, we too would become Taliban.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the importance of tolerance and pluralism in a civilization, even in the face of oppression against others.
Umberto Eco argues that a truly pluralistic society embraces diversity and protects the rights of different faiths to coexist, regardless of the injustices faced by any one group. He warns that if we react to oppression by retracting our principles of tolerance, we risk becoming like those who persecute others, thus undermining the very essence of a pluralist civilization.
Themes
PluralismToleranceCivilizationFreedomOppression
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech on multiculturalism, this quote can highlight the need for tolerance in diverse societies.
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The lunatic is all idée fixe, and whatever he comes across confirms his lunacy. You can tell him by the liberties he takes with common sense, by his flashes of inspiration, and by the fact that sooner or later he brings up the Templars.
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