QuoteProject
Politics hates a vacuum. If it isn't filled with hope, someone will fill it with fear.
Naomi Klein
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

Politics requires a guiding influence, either positive or negative, and in its absence, it tends to gravitate towards fear.

This quote by Naomi Klein highlights the necessity of hope in the political sphere. It suggests that when there is a lack of optimism or positive vision, individuals or movements may exploit that vacuum to instill fear and manipulate the populace for their own ends. Hope serves as a protective force against despair and fear-mongering, underscoring the importance of active engagement in creating a hopeful political discourse.

Themes

PoliticsHopeFearDiscourseEngagement

In practice

Example use cases

During a political debate, one might use this quote to emphasize the importance of hope in governance.

More from Naomi Klein

Because it is such a huge crisis, because it puts us on a firm science-based deadline, it's a once-in-a-century opportunity to build a better society and address raging inequality, create huge numbers of jobs, rebuild our public infrastructure. But, we can't do it unless we break every single rule in the free-market playbook. Which is why the worst people in the world all deny climate change.
Naomi KleinRead
Terrorism doesn't just blow up buildings; it blasts every other issue off the political map. The spectre of terrorism - real and exaggerated - has become a shield of impunity, protecting governments around the world from scrutiny for their human rights abuses.
Naomi KleinRead
Everybody that's trying to get anything progressive done in this country knows that the biggest barrier is getting money out of politics.
Naomi KleinRead
I think I would say that there is absolutely no way to reconcile an austerity agenda with climate action. Our political class needs to understand that the fight against austerity and the fight for climate action are the same fight.
Naomi KleinRead
I think the fossil fuel industry is genuinely freaked out by the combination of the price collapse, the divestment movement, and that fact that renewable energy is getting so cheap so fast.
Naomi KleinRead
As I was writing 'The Shock Doctrine', I was covering the Iraq War and profiteering from the war, and I started to see these patterns repeat in the aftermath of natural disasters, like the Asian tsunami and then Hurricane Katrina.
Naomi KleinRead

Similar quotes

Politics should not be the least heart-filled thing we do, it should be the most heart-filled thing we do.
Marianne WilliamsonRead
If we live in a perpetual state of outrage, Trump wins. Because when we become depleted and exhausted and sapped of our energy, we're not as resourceful, creative, or effective.
Arianna HuffingtonRead
There seems to be an increasing awareness of something we Americans have known for some time - that the ten most dangerous words in the English language are "Hi, I'm from the government, and I'm here to help."
Ronald ReaganRead
I just received the following wire from my generous Daddy; Dear Jack, Don't buy a single vote more than is necessary. I'll be damned if I'm going to pay for a landslide.
John F. KennedyRead
What political leaders decide, intelligence services tend to seek to justify.
Henry A. KissingerRead
Given political history in Chile, it seemed to me that there was a critical task of consolidating a democracy and creating healthy civic-military and political-military relationships.
Michelle BacheletRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.