Economic system Quote by Italo Calvino
““It can also be useful to politics, enabling that science to discover how much of it is no more than verbal construction, myth, literary tops. Politics, like literature, must above all know itself and distrust itself. As a final observation, I should like to add that it is impossible today for anyone to feel innocent, if in whatever we do or say we can discover a hidden motive - that of a white man, or a male, or the possessor of a certain income, or a member of a given economic system, or a sufferer from a certain neurosis - this should not induce in us either a universal sense of guilt or an attitude of universal accusation. When we become aware of our disease or of our hidden motives, we have already begun to get the better of them. What matters is the way in which we accept our motives and live through the ensuing crisis. This is the only chance we have of becoming different from the way we are - that is, the only way of starting to invent a new way of being.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Six Memos for the Next Millennium, 1991
Politics mirrors literature in that both must self‑examine; recognizing hidden motives prevents universal guilt and enables personal transformation.
In simple terms: Politics and literature need self‑knowledge to avoid blame.
Key Takeaway
Identify motives, then act responsibly.
Themes
self‑awareness
politics
literature
motivation
ethical behavior
Mood
introspective
philosophical
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- policy analysis
- creative writing
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
critical theory
identity politics
psychology
social critique
Questions to Reflect On
- How do hidden motives shape your decisions?
- Can self‑knowledge change societal outcomes?
A Different Perspective
The essay is philosophical, not empirical.
![“Through it [literature] we know the past, govern the present, and influence the future.” quote by Charlotte Perkins Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/12b/charlotte-perkins-gilman-2420_books_through-it-literature-we-know-the-past-g_3221538.jpg)
