Objectivity Quote by Aurora Levins Morales
““When we rely on written records we need to continually ask ourselves what might be missing, what might have been recorded in order to manipulate events and in what direction, and in what ways we are allowing ourselves to assume that objectivity is in any way connected with literacy.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: On Literacy and Objectivity, 2001
Written records can be manipulated; we must question what is omitted and how that shapes perceived objectivity.
In simple terms: Question gaps and biases in written history.
Key Takeaway
Critically assess sources for missing perspectives.
Themes
literacy
objectivity
history
bias
Mood
analytical
skeptical
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- Academic research
- Journalism
- Policy analysis
- Education curricula
Key Concepts
Critical theory
Epistemology
Questions to Reflect On
- What voices are missing from dominant narratives?
- How does literacy affect power dynamics?
A Different Perspective
Assuming completeness can lead to false certainty.
![“...one of the main purposes of our assesment is to find evidence of the children using these ideas to make decisions about their writing work each day, catching them in the act [of writing].” quote by Katie Wood Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/17a/katie-wood-ray-194454_pg120_one-of-the-main-purposes-of-our-assesmen_2481158.jpg)
![“[In geology,] As in history, the material in hand remains silent if no questions are asked. The nature of these questions depends on the "school" to which the geologist belongs and on the objectivity of his investigations. Hans Cloos called this way of interrogation "the dialogue with the earth,"…” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8a7/anonymous-1_communication_in-geology-as-in-history-the-material-in_22470.jpg)
