Accounts Quote by J. M. Coetzee
“State censorship presents itself as a bulwark between society and forces of subversion or moral corruption. To dismiss this account of its own motives by the state as insincere would be a mistake: it is a feature of the paranoid logic of the censoring mentality that virtue ... must be innocent, and therefore, unless protected, vulnerable to the wiles of vice.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Paranoid Logic of Censorship” in *The Politics of the Imagination*, 1995
Censorship is justified as protecting virtue, but this logic is paranoid, making virtue vulnerable to corruption.
In simple terms: Censorship claims to protect goodness but can be self‑defeating.
Key Takeaway
Question the motives behind censorship.
Themes
power
morality
control
paranoia
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- media regulation
- academic publishing
- online platforms
- government policy
Key Concepts
ethical theory
political philosophy
freedom of expression
Questions to Reflect On
- When is censorship justified?
- How to balance protection and freedom?
A Different Perspective
Censorship may sometimes prevent genuine harm.
