Even though you can destroy a man, destroying him does not make him cease to exist. On the contrary, if I can put it this way, he begins to exist all the more. These are paradoxes no tyrant can deal with. The scythe swings, and at once the grass starts to grow back. Cut again and the grass grows faster than ever. A very comforting law of nature. (attributed to an anonymous Iranian in Shah of Shahs, Vintage International edition, p. 32)
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Destroying a person may amplify their existence or legacy, like grass growing back after being cut.
- In plain terms
- Killing someone can make them live on stronger, like grass after cutting.
- What can you take from it?
- Oppression can unintentionally strengthen resistance or memory.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Does suffering always create strength?
- How do movements survive?
Another view
It romanticizes suffering as a necessary cost for growth.
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