For a writer only one form of patriotism exists: his attitude toward language.
Interpretation
A writer's true love for their country is reflected in how they use and interact with their language.
In this quote, Joseph Brodsky emphasizes that the essence of patriotism for writers lies in their relationship with language. For a writer, the way they express themselves and the care they take with their words is a reflection of their loyalty and love for their country, as language is a vital part of cultural identity and communication.
In practice
In a speech about the power of literature during a national event.
Basically, it's hard for me to assess myself, a hardship not only prompted by the immodesty of the enterprise, but because one is not capable of assessing himself, let alone his work. However, if I were to summarize, my main interest is the nature of time. That's what interests me most of all. What time can do to a man.
One always pulls the trigger out of self-interest and quotes history to avoid responsibility or pangs of conscience.
On the whole, infinity is a fairly palpable aspect of this business of publishing, if only because it extends a dead author's existence beyond the limits he envisioned, or provides a living author with a future he cannot measure. In other words, this business deals with the future which we all prefer to regard as unending.
The invention of ethical and political doctrines, which blossomed into our own social sciences, is a product of times when things appeared manageable. The same goes for the criticism of those doctrines, though as a voice from the past, this criticism proved prophetic.
Try not to pay attention to those who will try to make life miserable for you. There will be a lot of those - in the official capacity as well as the self-appointed.
To put it in plain language, Russia is that country where the name of a writer appears not on the cover of his book, but on the door of his prison cell.
In America, the photographer is not simply the person who records the past, but the one who invents it.
Remember you love writing. It wouldn’t be worth it if you didn’t. If the love fades, do what you need to and get it back.
Art is very tricky because it's what you do for yourself. It's much harder for me to make those works than the monuments or the architecture.
To dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful. This is power, it is glory on earth and it is yours for the taking.
I'm playing deep African music.
I, too, am interested in identity and Islam, which is what people expect of us. But one must not write what is expected. It's important for North African writers to show they have other things to say.
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