Blanket Quote by Bertolt Brecht
“The first time it was reported that our friends were being butchered there was a cry of horror. Then a hundred were butchered. But when a thousand were butchered and there was no end to the butchery, a blanket of silence spread. When evil-doing comes like falling rain, nobody calls out "stop!" When crimes begin to pile up they become invisible. When sufferings become unendurable the cries are no longer heard. The cries, too, fall like rain in summer.”
About This Quote
Source Play: The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, 1941
Societal indifference grows as atrocities increase, making large-scale suffering invisible and ignored.
In simple terms: People ignore suffering when it becomes too big.
Key Takeaway
Speak up early, before silence spreads.
Themes
indifference
violence
societal responsibility
Mood
somber
reflective
Type
political
ethical
When to use this quote
- war crimes
- genocide
- mass violence
- media coverage
- public awareness
Key Concepts
moral blindness
collective denial
Questions to Reflect On
- How does scale affect our empathy?
- What can break the silence?
A Different Perspective
Silence can be a coping mechanism, not just apathy.
