There is an old saying that goes 'Start by plucking a…
““There is an old saying that goes 'Start by plucking a hair, end by killing a man'. It is also said, 'Two hands must meet to make a sound'. The atrocities that happened here weren't carried out by strangers - it was us, the people who'd once lived together harmoniously in the same village." "They say it was the superstitious freaks who did it." "No, it was Satan who did it." "Come now, what sort of a ghost is that?" Ryu Yosop replied, "It is the black thing that lives in the heart of every man.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Human capacity for collective violence emerges when ordinary people become complicit in shared hatred and fear.
In simple terms: People can turn violent together.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and challenge groupthink.
Themes
violence
collective responsibility
psychology
Mood
grim
reflective
Type
cautionary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- community conflict
- political oppression
- historical atrocities
- social cohesion
Key Concepts
moral decay
group dynamics
Questions to Reflect On
- How does ordinary life become complicit?
- What mechanisms can break the cycle of collective violence?
A Different Perspective
Not all members of a group act identically; dissent can be suppressed.