But I have been sought out, as each individual has been sought out. Artists of the past could at least keep silent in the face of tyranny. The tyrannies of today are improved; they no longer admit of silence or neutrality. One has to take a stand, be either for or against. Well, in that case, I am against.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Modern tyranny forces people to choose sides, leaving no room for silence or neutrality.
- In plain terms
- Today's oppressors won't let you stay neutral; you must be for or against them.
- What can you take from it?
- Neutrality is impossible under modern tyranny.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When is silence complicity?
- How do you choose sides when both are flawed?
Another view
Choosing a side can be dangerous or mislead if the choice is unclear.
More from Albert Camus
Being aware of one's life, one's revolt, one's freedom, and to the maximum, is living, and to the maximum.
Permalink to quote #113 But what is happiness except the simple harmony between a man and the life he leads?
Permalink to quote #115 Being able to remain on that dizzying crest - that is integrity and the rest is subterfuge.
Permalink to quote #112
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