America Quote by E. B. White
““Surely the Board knows what democracy is. It is the line that forms on the right. It is the don’t in Don’t Shove. It is the hole in the stuffed shirt through which the sawdust slowly trickles; it is the dent in the high hat. Democracy is the recurrent suspicion that more than half the people are right more than half the time. It is the feeling of privacy in the voting booths, the feeling of communion in the libraries, the feeling of vitality everywhere. Democracy is the score at the beginning of the ninth. It is an idea which hasn’t been disproved yet, a song the words of which have not gone bad. It’s the mustard on the hot dog and the cream in the rationed coffee. Democracy is a request from a War Board, in the middle of a morning in the middle of a war, wanting to know what democracy is.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Board” by E. B. White, 1951
Democracy is portrayed as a complex, paradoxical concept that blends ordinary details with deep collective trust and suspicion.
In simple terms: Democracy mixes everyday symbols with collective belief.
Key Takeaway
Recognize both the mundane and profound in civic life.
Themes
civic engagement
paradox
trust
collective identity
political metaphor
Mood
reflective
thoughtful
critical
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- voting
- public discourse
- community building
- political analysis
Key Concepts
democratic theory
social contract
symbolic representation
Questions to Reflect On
- How do everyday symbols shape our political beliefs?
- What tensions arise between trust and suspicion in democracy?
A Different Perspective
Democracy’s definition can be vague and contested, leading to differing interpretations.
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