Barricades Quote by Jean Cocteau
“The preservation of friendship is seen as opportunism. You are required to be in one camp or the other. You are enjoined to cut your heartstrings if they extend across the barricade.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview, 1950s, France
Friendship is often reduced to self‑interest, forcing people to choose sides and sever emotional ties across divides.
In simple terms: Friendship becomes opportunistic, demanding loyalty to a side.
Key Takeaway
Beware of loyalty that demands cutting ties.
Themes
friendship
loyalty
division
opportunism
Mood
reflective
serious
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- political activism
- family disputes
- workplace alliances
Key Concepts
social psychology
identity
group dynamics
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you maintain genuine bonds across opposing groups?
- What costs arise from treating friends as tools?
![“What I wanted to do [in Allied] was get two characters who fall in love for real, across the barricade, and then it transcends the war.” quote by Steven Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e84/steven-knight-2205_allied_what-i-wanted-to-do-in-allied-was-get-tw_811268.jpg)
