The same is true of stories and legends that haunt urban…
![“The same is true of stories and legends that haunt urban space like superfluous or additional inhabitants. They are the object of a witch-hunt, by the very logic of the techno-structure. But [the extermination of proper place names] (like the extermination of trees, forests, and hidden places in…” quote by Michel de Certeau](https://sms4smile.com/q/i/c10/michel-de-certeau-15812_city_the-same-is-true-of-stories-and-legends_2215075.png)
““The same is true of stories and legends that haunt urban space like superfluous or additional inhabitants. They are the object of a witch-hunt, by the very logic of the techno-structure. But [the extermination of proper place names] (like the extermination of trees, forests, and hidden places in which such legends live) makes the city a 'suspended symbolic order.' The habitable city is thereby annulled. Thus, as a woman from Rouen put it, no, here 'there isn't any place special, except for my own home, that's all...There isn't anything.' Nothing 'special': nothing that is marked, opened up by a memory or a story, signed by something or someone else. Only the cave of the home remains believable, still open for a certain time to legends, still full of shadows. Except for that, according to another city-dweller, there are only 'places in which one can no longer believe in anything.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Urban legends and place names give cities symbolic meaning; erasing them leaves a sterile, belief‑free environment where only personal homes retain significance.
In simple terms: Erasing city stories empties urban meaning, leaving only private homes as meaningful.
Key Takeaway
Preserve local narratives to maintain urban identity.
Themes
urbanism
memory
place
identity
mythology
Mood
reflective
melancholic
critical
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- city planning
- heritage preservation
- community storytelling
- urban tourism
- academic research
Key Concepts
symbolic order
habitat
cultural erasure
Questions to Reflect On
- How does personal memory shape public space?
- What can restore shared urban myths?
A Different Perspective
If people cling only to private spaces, collective memory may still dissolve.