Seeking to forget makes exile all the longer; the secret of redemption lies in remembrance.
Richard Von WeizsaeckerRead
Whoever refuses to remember the inhumanity is prone to new risks of infection.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Forgetting past injustices can lead to repeating the same mistakes in the future.
This quote emphasizes the importance of remembering historical injustices and inhuman actions. By failing to acknowledge and learn from the past, individuals and societies risk repeating similar mistakes and exposing themselves to the same dangers that originally occurred. It serves as a warning to remain vigilant and reflective to prevent the resurgence of negative patterns in human behavior.
Themes
HistoryMemoryInhumanityReflectionLearning
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about social justice, one might say, 'As Richard Von Weizsaecker noted, forgetting the inhumanity of the past puts us at risk for future mistakes.'
More from Richard Von Weizsaecker
All quotes βDemocracy feeds on argument, on the discussion as to the right way forward. This is the reason why respecting the opinion of others belongs to democracy.
Richard Von WeizsaeckerRead
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