In apartments and cottages, on the street and in the train... I listen... More and more, I turn into one large ear, always turning to another person.
Svetlana AlexievichRead
What I'm concerned with is what I would call the missing history - the invisible imprint of our stay on Earth and in time.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the subtle influences and legacies we leave behind that often go unnoticed.
Svetlana Alexievich's quote prompts us to consider the intangible and often overlooked aspects of our existence that contribute to the broader narrative of humanity. It suggests that while physical achievements may be documented, the emotional and spiritual impacts we have on the world and each other form a 'missing history' that is equally significant, emphasizing our shared experiences and the nuanced traces we leave in time.
Themes
HistoryInvisibleImprintExistenceLegacy
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of acknowledging lesser-known historical figures.
More from Svetlana Alexievich
All quotes βThe subjects I wanted to write about - the mystery of the human soul, evil - didn't interest newspapers, and news reporting bored me.
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'Women's' war has its own colors, its own smells, its own lighting, and its own range of feelings. There are no heroes and incredible feats; there are simply people who are busy doing inhumanly human things.
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There is no need to give in to the compromise that totalitarian regimes always count on.
Svetlana AlexievichRead
I've been searching for a genre that would be most adequate to my vision of the world to convey how my ear hears and my eyes see life. I tried this and that, and finally, I chose a genre where human voices speak for themselves. But I don't just record a dry history of events and facts; I'm writing a history of human feelings.
Svetlana AlexievichRead
From the point of view of art, the butcher and the victim are equal as people. You need to see the people.
Svetlana AlexievichRead
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