Graveyard Quote by Alexander Cockburn
“They keep telling us that in war truth is the first casualty, which is nonsense since it implies that in times of peace truth stays out of the sick bay or the graveyard.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Politics of Truth, Alexander Cockburn, 1995
War distorts truth, but peace also hides it in complacency and denial.
In simple terms: Truth suffers in both war and peace.
Key Takeaway
Question truth in all contexts.
Themes
war
truth
politics
media
silence
Mood
critical
skeptical
Type
analytical
reflective
When to use this quote
- journalism
- political analysis
- public discourse
- educational curricula
Key Concepts
propaganda
cognitive bias
information control
Questions to Reflect On
- How does peace enable denial?
- What mechanisms conceal truth in everyday life?
A Different Perspective
Truth can be suppressed by comfort, not just conflict.
![“There's a disconnect there between - you're telling me this [war in Iraq] is fight of our generation, and you're going to increase troops by 10 percent. And that's gonna do it. I'm sure what [George W.Bush] would like to do is send 400,000 more troops there, but he can't, because he doesn't have…” quote by Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3b3/jon-stewart-455_fighting_there-s-a-disconnect-there-between-you-r_1649094.jpg)
