--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And then I explained to him how naive we…" description: "\"“And then I explained to him how naive we were, that the world did know and remained silent. And that is why I swore never to be silent whenever and wh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d6/elie-wiesel-341_neutrality_and-then-i-explained-to-him-how-naive-we_390169.png" --- # And then I explained to him how naive we were, that the… ![“And then I explained to him how naive we were, that the world did know and remained silent. And that is why I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the…” quote by Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d6/elie-wiesel-341_neutrality_and-then-i-explained-to-him-how-naive-we_390169.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d6/elie-wiesel-341_neutrality_and-then-i-explained-to-him-how-naive-we_390169.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d6/elie-wiesel-341_neutrality_and-then-i-explained-to-him-how-naive-we_390169.png) > ““And then I explained to him how naive we were, that the world did know and remained silent. And that is why I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”” [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Silence in the face of suffering supports the oppressor; speaking out defends the vulnerable. **In simple terms:** Speak up against injustice; silence aids the oppressor. Key Takeaway Never stay silent when others suffer. Themes justice activism solidarity Mood determined urgent Type activist inspirational When to use this quote - protests - journalism - education - community organizing Key Concepts ethics human rights Questions to Reflect On - When have you chosen silence over speaking? - What can you do to support victims safely? A Different Perspective Silence can sometimes protect the vulnerable from retaliation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Neutrality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neutrality/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) ## Related quotes > [“I remember he asked his father, "Can this be true? This is the twentieth century, not the Middle Ages. Who would allow such crimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/i-remember-he-asked-his-father-can-this-be-true-this-is-the-twentieth/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“Luz Castro "And then i explain that the world did know and remained silent. and that is why I swore never to be silent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/luz-castro-and-then-i-explain-that-the-world-did-know-and-remained/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/neutrality-helps-the-oppressor-never-the-victim-silence-encourages-2/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“i swore never to be silent whenever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. we must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/i-swore-never-to-be-silent-whenever-human-beings-endure-suffering-and/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/we-must-always-take-sides-neutrality-helps-the-oppressor-never-the/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/i-swore-never-to-be-silent-whenever-and-wherever-human-beings-endure-2/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“--"And then I explained to him how naive we were, that the world did know and remained silent. And that is why I swore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/and-then-i-explained-to-him-how-naive-we-were-that-the-world-did-know-2/) [Élie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-weisel/neutrality-helps-the-oppressor-never-the-victim-silence-encourages/) Eli Weisel > [I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/i-swore-never-to-be-silent-whenever-and-wherever-human-beings-endure-3/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/silence-encourages-the-tormentor-never-the-tormented/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/we-must-take-sides-neutrality-helps-the-oppressor-never-the-victim-2/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/we-must-take-sides-neutrality-helps-the-oppressor-never-the-victim/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/take-sides-neutrality-helps-the-oppressor-never-the-victim/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silent encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/we-must-take-sides-neutrality-helps-the-oppressor-never-the-victim-3/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/neutrality-helps-the-oppressor-never-the-victim/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) ## More by Elie Wiesel > [A religious person answers to God, not to the elected or non-elected official.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/a-religious-person-answers-to-god-not-to-the-elected-or-non-elected/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [One more stab to the heart, one more reason to hate. One less reason to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/one-more-stab-to-the-heart-one-more-reason-to-hate-one-less-reason-to/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“What all these victims need above all is to know that they are not alone; that we are not forgetting them, that when their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/what-all-these-victims-need-above-all-is-to-know-that-they-are-not/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [I feel that books, just like people, have a destiny. Some invite sorrow, others joy, some both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/i-feel-that-books-just-like-people-have-a-destiny-some-invite-sorrow/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [ \[Chinese\] are a huge empire now, you'll soon be - in a few years two billion people in the world. So, you should be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/chinese-are-a-huge-empire-now-you-ll-soon-be-in-a-few-years-two/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Did I write it so as not to go mad or, on the contrary, to go mad in order to understand the nature of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/did-i-write-it-so-as-not-to-go-mad-or-on-the-contrary-to-go-mad-in/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Take the story of Cain and Abel. Why were we given that story? Scientifically, you may have an explanation for it, but I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/take-the-story-of-cain-and-abel-why-were-we-given-that-story/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Mankind must remember that peace is not God's gift to his creatures; peace is our gift to each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/mankind-must-remember-that-peace-is-not-god-s-gift-to-his-creatures/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [The world? The world is not interested in us. Today, everything is possible, even the crematoria...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/the-world-the-world-is-not-interested-in-us-today-everything-is/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [every question possessed a power that was lost in the answer . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/every-question-possessed-a-power-that-was-lost-in-the-answer/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [I think this century more than any other really has seen the phenomenon of people being uprooted in such numbers, such a degree. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/i-think-this-century-more-than-any-other-really-has-seen-the/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [His cold eyes stared at me. At last, he said wearily: "I have more faith in Hitler than in anyone else. He alone has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/his-cold-eyes-stared-at-me-at-last-he-said-wearily-i-have-more-faith/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [As you know, I describe Shirat ha-Yam as part of an epic story that has qualities of history and which also has qualities of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/as-you-know-i-describe-shirat-ha-yam-as-part-of-an-epic-story-that/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Every Jew, somewhere in his being, should set apart a zone of hate -healthy virile hate- for what the German personifies and for what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/every-jew-somewhere-in-his-being-should-set-apart-a-zone-of-hate/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“Did hope help us to survive, or not? Too many families clung to it all through the war, thus falling into the enemy's trap.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/did-hope-help-us-to-survive-or-not-too-many-families-clung-to-it-all/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) [Explore all 662 Elie Wiesel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) ## More Neutrality quotes > [“You can not have empty or neutral mind, as long as you work the mind will contain dreams, if you stop working it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/you-can-not-have-empty-or-neutral-mind-as-long-as-you-work-the-mind/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [I believe people ought to be treated fairly under the law. I see no reason why if the marriage contract conveys certain things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-believe-people-ought-to-be-treated-fairly-under-the-law-i-see-no/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [There's always a fine line that divides hostility from neutrality, and I don't want to pass that line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-dwight/there-s-always-a-fine-line-that-divides-hostility-from-neutrality-and/) [Ed Dwight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-dwight/) > [If you end internet neutrality and permit mergers of the big information technology corporations, that's a form of rent seeking. It's part of today's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hudson/if-you-end-internet-neutrality-and-permit-mergers-of-the-big/) [Michael Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hudson/) > [Net neutrality is at the core of what we love about the Internet. Put simply, it allows any individual or business equal access to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ro-khanna/net-neutrality-is-at-the-core-of-what-we-love-about-the-internet-put/) [Ro Khanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ro-khanna/) > [To go back to a 1950s voice mentality with Title II and net neutrality would be a tremendous mistake for our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-t-chambers/to-go-back-to-a-1950s-voice-mentality-with-title-ii-and-net/) [John T. Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-t-chambers/) > [My standpoint is armed neutrality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/my-standpoint-is-armed-neutrality/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [Our impartiality is kept for abstract merit and demerit, which none of us ever saw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/our-impartiality-is-kept-for-abstract-merit-and-demerit-which-none-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [Power doesn't corrupt. It's neutral. Someone always wants to corrupt power. It's the way a shotgun is not a deadly weapon until someone chooses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-ditko/power-doesn-t-corrupt-it-s-neutral-someone-always-wants-to-corrupt/) Steve Ditko > [Net neutrality isn't a government takeover of the Internet, as many of my Republican colleagues have alleged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/net-neutrality-isn-t-a-government-takeover-of-the-internet-as-many-of/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [The current FCC chairman, Tom Wheeler, is highly regarded, but some distrust him because he is the former head lobbyist of both the cable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-ammori/the-current-fcc-chairman-tom-wheeler-is-highly-regarded-but-some/) [Marvin Ammori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-ammori/) > [Charter hired me - which, to be honest, took some humility on its part, since I have helped lead public campaigns against cable companies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-ammori/charter-hired-me-which-to-be-honest-took-some-humility-on-its-part/) [Marvin Ammori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-ammori/) > [“I hate neutrality becouse is the worst thing that ever happened”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamzatribah/i-hate-neutrality-becouse-is-the-worst-thing-that-ever-happened/) [Hamzatribah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamzatribah/) > [Unless your government is respectable, foreigners will invade your rights; and to maintain tranquillity you must be respectable; even to observe neutrality you must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/unless-your-government-is-respectable-foreigners-will-invade-your/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [In every encounter we either give life or we drain it; there is no neutral exchange.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/in-every-encounter-we-either-give-life-or-we-drain-it-there-is-no/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) [Browse all 275 Neutrality quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neutrality/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“And then I explained to him how naive we were, that the world did know and remained silent. 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