You can put anything into words, except your own life.
Max FrischRead
A society needs famous people; the question is whom it chooses for that role. Any criticism of its choice is by implication a criticism of that society.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A society's values are reflected in the public figures it idolizes, and questioning these figures is akin to questioning society itself.
Max Frisch's quote highlights the significant role that famous individuals play in shaping and reflecting societal values. It suggests that the choice of public figures—whether they be artists, politicians, or celebrities—is a mirror of the society's ideals, ethics, and aspirations. Critiquing these figures, therefore, implies a deeper critique of the society that elevates them, prompting a reflection on the collective values and judgments of the community as a whole.
Themes
SocietyFamous PeopleValuesCriticismReflection
In practice
Example use cases
During a debate about celebrity influence in media, one might reference this quote to emphasize the responsibility of society in choosing its idols.
More from Max Frisch
All quotes →Technology... the knack of so arranging the world that we don't have to experience it.
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We live technologically, with man as the master of nature, man as the engineer, and let anyone who raises his voice against it stop using bridges not built by nature.... No electric light bulbs, no engines, no atomic energy, no calculating machines, no anaesthetics-back to the jungle.
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When we travel, we are like a film at the moment of exposure; it is memory that will develop it.
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We live in an age of reproduction. Most of what makes up our personal picture of the world we have never seen with our own eyes--or rather, we've seen it with our own eyes, but not on the spot: our knowledge comes to us from a distance, we are televiewers, telehearers, teleknowers.
Max FrischRead
Nothing is harder than to accept oneself.
Max FrischRead
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