I learned three things in Zurich during the war. I wrote them down. Firstly, you're either a revolutionary or you're not, and if you're not you might as well be an artist as anything else. Secondly, if you can't be an artist, you might as well be a revolutionary. ... I forget the third thing.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Stoppard lists learning from war that one must be a revolutionary or an artist, then forgets the third thing.
- In plain terms
- During war, you either fight for change or make art; the third point is forgotten.
- What can you take from it?
- Extreme times force choices between political action and creative expression.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What must you choose in crisis?
- Is there a third way?
Another view
It presents a false dichotomy between art and activism.
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