Atrocities Quote by Erich Fromm
“In the first World War British propaganda had to invent the stories of German soldiers bayoneting Belgian babies, because there were too few real atrocities to feed the hatred against the enemy.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness, 1973
He notes that British WWI propaganda fabricated extreme atrocities to fuel hatred when real events were insufficient.
In simple terms: Propaganda invented gruesome stories to incite enemy hatred.
Key Takeaway
Critically evaluate media claims, especially during conflict.
Themes
propaganda
war
psychology
media
Mood
skeptical
inquisitive
Type
historical
critical
educational
When to use this quote
- news consumption
- educational curricula
- policy making
- public discourse
- historical research
Key Concepts
social influence
historical manipulation
ethics of persuasion
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you distinguish factual reporting from propaganda?
- What responsibilities do media have in wartime?
A Different Perspective
Propaganda can also be subtle, making detection harder.
![“I always thought it was a B.S. thing that they didn't show it [scalping] in other Westerns, but especially if you're going to really go with the idea that we're desecrating the bodies, and the idea is to strike fear in the hearts of other German soldiers, then we had to see what they're talking…” quote by Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e22/quentin-tarantino-1030_body_i-always-thought-it-was-a-b-s-thing-that_606083.jpg)
