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Nobody these days holds the written word in such high esteem as police states do.
Italo Calvino
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Interpretation

What this quote means

In oppressive regimes, the written word is both revered and controlled, highlighting its power and danger.

Italo Calvino's quote reflects the paradox of police states that often place immense value on written texts, as they can be powerful tools for both propaganda and manipulation. In such societies, the written word is not only a vehicle for communication but also a means of exerting control, as authorities seek to regulate, censor, or promote narratives that serve their interests, thus revealing a complex relationship between literacy and power.

Themes

Written WordPolice StatePowerControlCensorship

In practice

Example use cases

During a lecture on censorship, one may cite this quote to illustrate how oppressive regimes value control over expression.

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The struggle of literature is in fact a struggle to escape from the confines of language; it stretches out from the utmost limits of what can be said; what stirs literature is the call and attraction of what is not in the dictionary.
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Fantasy is like jam. . . . You have to spread it on a solid piece of bread. If not, it remains a shapeless thing . . . out of which you can’t make anything.
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