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Human rights pale beside the rights of machines. In more and more cities, especially in the great metropolises of the South, people have been banned. Automobiles usurp human space, poison the air, and frequently murder the interlopers who invade their conquered territory -and no one lifts a finger to stop them. Is there a difference between violence that kills by car and that which kills by knife or bullet?" (p.231)
Eduardo Galeano
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote critiques the prioritization of machines and vehicles over human rights and safety.

Eduardo Galeano's quote highlights the disturbing reality that, as cities grow and technology advances, the rights and well-being of individuals are often overlooked in favor of machines, particularly automobiles. He draws a parallel between different forms of violence, suggesting that the consequences of these technologies—pollution, danger, and urban design favoring cars—are as significant and lethal as more overt forms of violence, such as that inflicted by weapons.

Themes

Human RightsMachinesViolenceAutomobilesUrban SpaceTechnology

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used in a speech about urban planning and the importance of prioritizing pedestrians and cyclists over cars.

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Utopia lies at the horizon. When I draw nearer by two steps, it retreats two steps. If I proceed ten steps forward, it swiftly slips ten steps ahead. No matter how far I go, I can never reach it. What, then, is the purpose of utopia? It is to cause us to advance.
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