It's easier for the former masters to put aside the masks that hid their humanity than for the former slaves to recognise the faces underneath. Or to trust that this is not a new mask these are wearing.
Nadine GordimerRead
A truly living human being cannot remain neutral.
Interpretation
What this quote means
One must take a stance in life rather than remain indifferent.
Nadine Gordimer's quote suggests that to truly live and engage with the world, one cannot simply adopt a neutral position. Instead, individuals are compelled to take sides in their beliefs and actions, as remaining neutral can be a state of complacency that undermines the essence of being human. This speaks to the moral obligation of individuals to stand up for what they believe in and the importance of active participation in societal issues.
Themes
NeutralityActionBeliefEngagementSociety
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a motivational speech to encourage activism against social injustices.
More from Nadine Gordimer
All quotes βThe gap between the committed and the indifferent is a Sahara whose faint trails, followed by the mind's eye only, fade out in sand.
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Perhaps the best definition of progress would be the continuing efforts of men and women to narrow the gap between the convenience of the powers that be and the unwritten charter.
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Art defies defeat by its very existence, representing the celebration of life, in spite of all attempts to degrade and destroy it.
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If people would forget about utopia! When rationalism destroyed heaven and decided to set it up here on earth, that most terrible of all goals entered human ambition. It was clear there'd be no end to what people would be made to suffer for it.
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The caged eagle become a metaphor for all forms of isolation, the ultimate in imprisonment. A zoo is prison.
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