We live in a society of an imposed forgetfulness, a society that depends on public amnesia.
Angela DavisRead
Radical simply means 'grasping things at the root.'
Interpretation
Radical thinking involves seeking the fundamental truths behind societal issues instead of addressing only surface-level problems.
Angela Davis's quote emphasizes that being radical is about understanding and addressing the core causes of societal issues. It suggests that true change requires a deep analysis of the roots of problems rather than just dealing with the symptoms, advocating for thoughtful and profound approaches to social justice and reform.
In practice
In a speech about social justice, one might use this quote to emphasize the importance of addressing systemic issues.
We live in a society of an imposed forgetfulness, a society that depends on public amnesia.
Well, we see an increasingly weaker labor movement as a result of the overall assault on the labor movement and as a result of the globalization of capital.
Racism is a much more clandestine, much more hidden kind of phenomenon, but at the same time it's perhaps far more terrible than it's ever been.
Imprisonment has become the response of first resort to far too many of our social problems.
It's true that it's within the realm of cultural politics that young people tend to work through political issues, which I think is good, although it's not going to solve the problems
When children attend schools that place a greater value on discipline and security than on knowledge and intellectual development, they are attending prep schools for prison.
Amassing of wealth is an opportunity for good deeds, not hubris
You are not going to destroy this imperialist white supremacist capitalist patriarchy by creating your own version of it.
Evil being the root of mystery, pain is the root of knowledge.
One murder makes a villain; millions, a hero.
To learn from our enemies is the best pathway to loving them: for it makes us grateful to them.
Two things everybody's got tuh do fuh theyselves. They got tuh go tuh God, and they got tuh find out about livin' fuh theyselves.
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