The gap between the committed and the indifferent is a Sahara whose faint trails, followed by the mind's eye only, fade out in sand.
Nadine GordimerRead
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.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the challenges of trust and recognition between former oppressors and the oppressed.
Nadine Gordimer's quote highlights the complex psychological barriers that exist in the relationships between former masters and former slaves. It suggests that while those who once held power may more easily shed the façades that masked their true selves, the ones who were oppressed may struggle to see beyond the newfound appearances and regain trust, fearing that they could be deceived once more by the same individuals who once oppressed them.
Themes
TrustRecognitionOppressionIdentityTransformation
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about post-apartheid South Africa, this quote can illustrate the ongoing struggles of reconciliation.
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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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A truly living human being cannot remain neutral.
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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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