History suggests that the disillusioned and the disaffected do not readily take to the streets nor man the barricades to defend a system that failed to defend them.
David OlusogaRead
Theories, books and ideas created within ivory towers had real-world consequences.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Theoretical knowledge can significantly impact the real world, often in unexpected ways.
David Olusoga's quote highlights the importance of academic knowledge and intellectual ideas, emphasizing that theories and concepts developed in isolated or elite environments ('ivory towers') can have tangible effects on society and the world. This serves as a reminder that the divisions between academia and practical life are not as clear-cut as one might think, and that ideas have the power to shape reality, for better or worse.
Themes
TheoriesIdeasIvory TowersReal WorldConsequencesKnowledge
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech on the role of academia in social policy, one might reference this quote to underscore the importance of bridging theoretical knowledge with practical application.
More from David Olusoga
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Public buildings, built from the rates and taxes paid by past generations, are being auctioned off by impoverished councils who need the money to pay the redundancies of workers they can no longer afford to employ. Many of these grand Victorian buildings will be turned into flats that most people will never be able to afford.
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Black history is a series of missing chapters from British history. I'm trying to put those bits back in.
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We nonchalantly expect that next year's smartphone will be faster and better than this year's, yet we struggle to imagine that society and our lives could progress at anything like the pace at which technology advances and we meekly accept it when things go backwards.
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Our national history cannot be national if, in the near future, one in three young adults feels their stories remain untold, if this country's long global history of empire and interconnections is marginalised and if the historical reality of race is rendered almost invisible.
David OlusogaRead
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