The old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born; now is the time of monsters
Antonio GramsciRead
Indifference is the dead weight of history.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Indifference leads to inaction and neglect, ultimately allowing negative forces to prevail throughout history.
Antonio Gramsci's quote highlights the dangerous consequences of indifference in society. By referring to indifference as the 'dead weight of history', he emphasizes that when individuals and communities neglect their responsibilities and choose not to engage with the pressing issues of their time, they contribute to the perpetuation of injustices and stagnation in social progress. This apathy can serve as a powerful force that holds back meaningful change, allowing detrimental ideologies and practices to flourish unchallenged.
Themes
IndifferenceHistoryActionSocietyResponsibility
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about social justice, one might quote Gramsci to emphasize the importance of collective action.
More from Antonio Gramsci
All quotes βI'm a pessimist because of intelligence, but an optimist because of will.
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The crisis consists precisely in the fact that the old is dying and the new cannot be born
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To tell the truth is revolutionary.
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Revolutionaries see history as a creation of their own spirit, as being made up of a continuous series of violent tugs at the other forces of society - both active and passive, and they prepare the maximum of favourable conditions for the definitive tug (revolution).
Antonio GramsciRead
Man is above all else mind, consciousness -- that is, he is a product of history, not of nature.
Antonio GramsciRead
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