In the Middle Ages, everything bad was the work of the devil, everything good, the work of God. Today, the French see everything in reverse and blame the Germans for it.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Rizal critiques how modern French society blames Germans for all issues, reversing the medieval dichotomy where God and devil explained good and evil.
- In plain terms
- People still find simple villains for complex problems, just with different targets than before.
- What can you take from it?
- Avoid blaming a single group for societal issues.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do societies choose their villains?
- Does blame shift or disappear?
Another view
The quote simplifies complex historical shifts into a binary reversal.
More from Jose Rizal
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