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The Assembly has witnessed over the last weeks how historical truth is established; once an allegation has been repeated a few times, it is no longer an allegation, it is an established fact, even if no evidence has been brought out in order to support it.
Dag Hammarskjold
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote reflects on the fragility of truth in public discourse and how repetition can transform allegations into accepted facts.

Dag Hammarskjold elucidates the process through which perceptions of truth can be altered by mere repetition. He warns that repeated claims, even if unsubstantiated, can shift from being viewed as allegations to being accepted as facts in the eyes of the public, highlighting the power of narrative over empirical evidence in establishing historical truths.

Themes

TruthAllegationFactEvidenceRepetition

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used in a discussion about media influence on public perception during a panel on journalism ethics.

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