And enough for me that when my hand touched your shoulder, you leaned on me; and when you felt me slip away, you called my name.
Orson Scott CardRead
Ender understood more than she said. Manipulation of gravity was one thing; deception by the officers was another; but the most important message was this: the adults are the enemy, not the other armies. They do not tell us the truth.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the idea that adults, or those in authority, often manipulate the truth, presenting a greater threat than external conflicts.
In this quote, Orson Scott Card conveys a profound observation that the real adversaries are not necessarily the visible enemies we face, such as rival armies, but rather the adults in positions of authority who distort the truth for their own ends. This notion of deception challenges the perception of innocence in adults and underscores the importance of questioning the narratives presented to us, suggesting that the emotional and psychological manipulation from authority figures can be more detrimental than the physical battles fought by armies.
Themes
DeceptionTruthAuthorityEnemyManipulation
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about the ethics of leadership in a seminar.
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Never mind that the story had turned out to be lies and foolishness—there was always folks stupid enough to say, Where there's smoke there's fire, when the saying should have been, Where there's scandalous lies there's always malicious believers and spreaders-around, regardless of evidence.
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The lives of all people flow through time, and, regardless of how brutal one moment may be, how filled with grief or pain or fear, time flows through all lives equally.
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You take a step, then another. That's the journey. But to take a step with your eyes open is not a journey at all, it's a remaking of your own mind.
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I've had your tears with mine, and you've had mine with yours. I think that's more intimate even than a kiss.
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