We live in a society of an imposed forgetfulness, a society that depends on public amnesia.
Angela DavisRead
It is both humiliating and humbling to discover that a single generation after the events that constructed me as a public personality, I am remembered as a hairdo.
Interpretation
The quote reflects the struggle of being reduced to superficial traits rather than one's true contributions or identity.
Angela Davis highlights the irony of how a public figure's legacy can be overshadowed by superficial perceptions, such as appearance or style, rather than the depth of their work and impact. This statement serves as a critique of society’s tendency to focus on the surface rather than the substance of an individual’s contributions.
In practice
This quote can be used in a discussion about how society often prioritizes appearance over substance.
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
Radical simply means 'grasping things at the root.'
Under socialism all will govern in turn and will soon become accustomed to no one governing.
Every day a new picture is painted and framed, held up for half an hour, in such lights as the Great Artist chooses, and then withdrawn, and the curtain falls. And then the sun goes down, and long the afterglow gives light.
Evangelical Christianity, as everyone knows, is founded upon hate, as the Christianity of Christ was founded upon love.
Do as you would be done by, is the surest method of pleasing.
All the reasonings of men are not worth one sentiment of women.
Forget not, never forget that you have promised me to use this silver to become an honest man.... Jean Valjean, my brother: you belong no longer to evil, but to good. It is your soul that I am buying for you. I withdraw it from dark thoughts and from the spirit of perdition, and I give it to God!
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