Atrocities Quote by Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn
““There was no more reasonable sequitur between “provocation” and “reaction” in the case of the French Revolution than in the case of the Jews and the Nazis, the Armenians and the young Turks, the old Russian regime, the Kerensky interlude and bolshevism, Portuguese colonial rule in Angola and the horrors perpetrated by savage monsters of Holden Roberto’s “Liberation Front,” the Belgian administration in the Congo and the delirious atrocities of Gbenye and Mulele, British colonialism in Kenya and the Mau-Mau. We have to face the fact that man is not “good”—only the extraordinary man is, only the heroic saint or the saintly hero, while the noble savage belongs to the world of fairy tales.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Political commentary, 1970s
He argues that historical atrocities stem from ordinary people, not innate goodness, and that only exceptional individuals embody true virtue.
In simple terms: Ordinary people cause atrocities; only exceptional are truly good.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the danger of assuming inherent goodness.
Themes
history
human nature
politics
violence
morality
Mood
cautious
critical
somber
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- education
- policy making
- conflict resolution
- media analysis
Key Concepts
Moral relativism
exceptionalism
historical cycles
Questions to Reflect On
- What responsibilities do societies have to prevent ordinary complicity?
- Can exceptional individuals truly change systemic evil?
A Different Perspective
Overlooks systemic factors that enable evil.
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