Certain governments are suggesting that bloggers and tweeters aren't 'real' writers and, so, don't merit protection. A writer is anyone from a Nobel laureate to a debut blogger. They all get PEN's attention.
John Ralston SaulRead
The best defence [for a democracy, for the public good] is aggressiveness, the aggressiveness of the involved citizen. We need to reassert that slow, time-consuming, inefficient, boring process that requires our involvement; it is called 'being a citizen.' The public good is not something that you can see. It is not static. It is a process. It is the process by which democratic civilizations build themselves.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Active participation in democracy is essential for the public welfare.
John Ralston Saul emphasizes that true democracy requires active involvement from its citizens, highlighting that the public good is a dynamic process built through civic engagement. Instead of passively observing, individuals must participate in the democratic process, which may seem slow and tedious but is crucial for sustaining democracy and ensuring the collective well-being of society.
Themes
DemocracyCitizenshipPublic GoodEngagementParticipation
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote in a speech about the importance of voting in local elections.
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John Ralston SaulRead
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