Weather is a literary specialty, and no untrained hand can turn out a good article on it
Mark TwainRead
The silent colossal National Lie that is the support and confederate of all the tyrannies and shams and inequalities and unfairnesses that afflict the peoples — that is the one to throw bricks and sermons at.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote criticizes the societal norms that perpetuate tyranny and inequality, urging people to challenge these injustices.
Mark Twain's quote highlights the pervasive nature of societal falsehoods that support various unjust systems, emphasizing the need for individuals to confront these entrenched beliefs. It suggests that these 'silent colossal lies' allow various forms of tyranny and inequality to flourish, and that it is the responsibility of the people to actively resist and criticize these shams through both direct action ('throw bricks') and moral persuasion ('sermons').
Themes
SilenceTruthTyrannyInequalitySocial JusticeCriticism
In practice
Example use cases
During a social justice rally, this quote could highlight the need to speak out against systemic oppression.
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