I take six or seven years to write really small books. There is a kind of aesthetic of leanness, of brevity.
Mohsin HamidRead
In a sense, by closing off the idea that young Muslims, and particularly young Muslim men, can be American heroes, it increases the chance that they'll try to be some other kind of hero. And that, I think, is entirely counterproductive.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that denying young Muslims a positive American identity may push them towards negative influences.
Mohsin Hamid's quote reflects on the broader implications of societal perceptions of identity, particularly concerning young Muslims. By failing to recognize young Muslim men as potential American heroes, society may inadvertently steer them away from positive role models and towards individuals or ideologies that promote conflict or violence. This statement emphasizes the importance of inclusive narratives in fostering a sense of belonging and the potential dangers of exclusion.
Themes
IdentityInclusionAmerican DreamYouthHeroism
In practice
Example use cases
During a community meeting discussing youth initiatives, this quote could be shared to highlight the importance of inclusive narratives.
More from Mohsin Hamid
All quotes →When the forces are aligning against hybridity, it harms everyone, as we are all migrants. Growing up in Pakistan, I know just how oppressive that kind of puritanical mindset can be.
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Some of my relatives held on to imagined memories the way homeless people hold onto lottery tickets. Nostalgia was their crack cocaine, if you will, and my childhood was littered with the consequences of their addiction : unserviceable debts, squabbles over inheritances, the odd alcoholic or suicide.
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Stories helped me unite parts of my existence that might otherwise have seemed irrevocably split by geography and time. And stories helped me find a future in which I, such a mongrel, could be comfortable.
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I think there's a growing courage among the younger generation of American writers. Because of the more superficial treatment of characters taking place in cinema, they have had to deal with that by digging deeper into who these people are.
Mohsin HamidRead
Part of the reason people abroad resent the United States is something Americans can do very little about: envy. The richest, most powerful country in the world attracts the jealousy of others in much the same way that the richest, most powerful man in a small town attracts the jealousy of others.
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