--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Pictures and words don't hurt anyone…" description: "\"“Pictures and words don't hurt anyone, except for those who are afraid of history.”\" — Katherine Govier" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60b/katherine-govier-72329_afraid_pictures-and-words-don-t-hurt-anyone-exc_190063.jpg" --- # Pictures and words don't hurt anyone, except for those who… ![“Pictures and words don't hurt anyone, except for those who are afraid of history.” quote by Katherine Govier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60b/katherine-govier-72329_afraid_pictures-and-words-don-t-hurt-anyone-exc_190063.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60b/katherine-govier-72329_afraid_pictures-and-words-don-t-hurt-anyone-exc_190063.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60b/katherine-govier-72329_afraid_pictures-and-words-don-t-hurt-anyone-exc_190063.jpg) > ““Pictures and words don't hurt anyone, except for those who are afraid of history.”” Katherine Govier ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Artistic expression can be harmless, but those fearful of confronting history may feel threatened. **In simple terms:** History can be unsettling for the fearful. Key Takeaway Engage with history through art thoughtfully. Themes art history fear expression Mood thoughtful critical Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - education - museum curation - media production - public discourse Key Concepts cultural criticism memory psychology Questions to Reflect On - Why do people fear historical truths? - How can art help process difficult histories? A Different Perspective Some may argue art can also perpetuate harmful narratives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) ## Related quotes > [My mother never warned me not to do this or that for fear of being hurt. Of course I got hurt, but I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-stinson/my-mother-never-warned-me-not-to-do-this-or-that-for-fear-of-being/) [Katherine Stinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-stinson/) > [I'm an artist who works with pictures and words. Sometimes that stuff ends up in different kinds of sites and contexts which determine what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kruger/i-m-an-artist-who-works-with-pictures-and-words-sometimes-that-stuff/) [Barbara Kruger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kruger/) > [Things don't fall apart. Things hold. Lines connect in thin ways that last and last and lives become generations made out of pictures and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-clifton/things-don-t-fall-apart-things-hold-lines-connect-in-thin-ways-that/) [Lucille Clifton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-clifton/) > [Comics are words and pictures. You can do anything with words and pictures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-pekar/comics-are-words-and-pictures-you-can-do-anything-with-words-and/) [Harvey Pekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-pekar/) > [It entered the visual vocabulary of photographers, painters and sculptors and focused on what pictures and words look like and what they can mean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kruger/it-entered-the-visual-vocabulary-of-photographers-painters-and/) [Barbara Kruger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kruger/) > [I just say I'm an artist who works with pictures and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kruger/i-just-say-i-m-an-artist-who-works-with-pictures-and-words/) [Barbara Kruger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kruger/) > [What excites me about picture books is the gap between pictures and words. Sometimes the pictures can tell a slightly different story or tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-browne/what-excites-me-about-picture-books-is-the-gap-between-pictures-and/) [Anthony Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-browne/) > [I hope for quick, fluent copy and memorable pictures. The words would not 'describe' the pictures; the pictures would not 'illustrate' the words. Together,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-rukeyser/i-hope-for-quick-fluent-copy-and-memorable-pictures-the-words-would/) [Muriel Rukeyser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-rukeyser/) > [I like to paint pictures with words, 'cause I can't draw for anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iman-shumpert/i-like-to-paint-pictures-with-words-cause-i-can-t-draw-for-anything/) [Iman Shumpert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iman-shumpert/) > [Literature is the stringing together of pictures in words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-kinkade/literature-is-the-stringing-together-of-pictures-in-words/) [Thomas Kinkade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-kinkade/) > [Picture books are for everybody at any age, not books to be left behind as we grow older. The best ones leave a tantalising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-browne/picture-books-are-for-everybody-at-any-age-not-books-to-be-left/) [Anthony Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-browne/) > [I work with pictures and words because they have the ability to determine who we are, what we want to be and what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kruger/i-work-with-pictures-and-words-because-they-have-the-ability-to/) [Barbara Kruger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kruger/) > [“Write in pictures. With your words, let the reader see not letters, but images. Be specific about every detail, but don't describe it--make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-a-patawaran/write-in-pictures-with-your-words-let-the-reader-see-not-letters-but/) [A.A. Patawaran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-a-patawaran/) > [“I make books because I love them as objects; because I want to put the pictures and the words together, because I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-niffenegger/i-make-books-because-i-love-them-as-objects-because-i-want-to-put-the/) [Audrey Niffenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-niffenegger/) > [A picture story is a sequence of images combined with text in such a way that pictures and words reinforce each other. They produce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-rothstein/a-picture-story-is-a-sequence-of-images-combined-with-text-in-such-a/) [Arthur Rothstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-rothstein/) ## More by Katherine Govier > [“To learn from him, I did not have to believe he was a good man or a fair man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-govier/to-learn-from-him-i-did-not-have-to-believe-he-was-a-good-man-or-a/) Katherine Govier > [“What if . . . you come to the wild and discover that it is not wild at all? What if half the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-govier/what-if-you-come-to-the-wild-and-discover-that-it-is-not-wild-at-all/) Katherine Govier > [“It is a simple thing, a name. We are given one, we grow in to it, we bear it. Simple for the rest of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-govier/it-is-a-simple-thing-a-name-we-are-given-one-we-grow-in-to-it-we-bear/) Katherine Govier Explore all 4 Katherine Govier quotes ## More Afraid quotes > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [I used to be afraid of my temper, but it turns out I don't really have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-bell/i-used-to-be-afraid-of-my-temper-but-it-turns-out-i-don-t-really-have/) [Zoe Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-bell/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I'm a pretty fearless person. I'm afraid of, like, creepy men in white vans and sidewalks with no streetlights. But I'm not afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-totah/i-m-a-pretty-fearless-person-i-m-afraid-of-like-creepy-men-in-white/) [Josie Totah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-totah/) > [I will support my party when they are right on an issue, but am not afraid to stand up to party bosses who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-senger/i-will-support-my-party-when-they-are-right-on-an-issue-but-am-not/) Darlene Senger > [Why am I so afraid to loose you,when you're not even mine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-am-i-so-afraid-to-loose-you-when-you-re-not-even-mine/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I want to tell you, but I cant, becuase I'm afraid if I do you'll never treat me same the again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-orante/i-want-to-tell-you-but-i-cant-becuase-i-m-afraid-if-i-do-you-ll-never/) [Cristina Orante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-orante/) > [Mistakes I've made in the past make me afraid to try new things in the future. I want to be perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/mistakes-i-ve-made-in-the-past-make-me-afraid-to-try-new-things-in/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“Humans are naturally scared and confused beings. They not only fear the unknown, as they live fearing themselves... ☥”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-marques/humans-are-naturally-scared-and-confused-beings-they-not-only-fear/) [Luis Marques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-marques/) > [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [We cannot be afraid of the dark that they live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burnie-burns/we-cannot-be-afraid-of-the-dark-that-they-live-in/) [Burnie Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burnie-burns/) > [“I think the reason we're cruel sometimes is that we're afraid we're going to like something.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/i-think-the-reason-we-re-cruel-sometimes-is-that-we-re-afraid-we-re/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [I'm still with that feeling that I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, because somebody is going to punish me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eartha-kitt/i-m-still-with-that-feeling-that-i-am-afraid-of-doing-the-wrong-thing/) [Eartha Kitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eartha-kitt/) Browse all 5,519 Afraid quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Pictures and words don't hurt anyone, except for those who are afraid of history.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Katherine Govier" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-govier/pictures-and-words-don-t-hurt-anyone-except-for-those-who-are-afraid/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afraid" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-govier/pictures-and-words-don-t-hurt-anyone-except-for-those-who-are-afraid/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60b/katherine-govier-72329_afraid_pictures-and-words-don-t-hurt-anyone-exc_190063.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60b/katherine-govier-72329_afraid_pictures-and-words-don-t-hurt-anyone-exc_190063.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60b/katherine-govier-72329_afraid_pictures-and-words-don-t-hurt-anyone-exc_190063.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Pictures and words don't hurt anyone, except for those who are afraid of history.” — Katherine Govier", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Katherine Govier", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-govier/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Pictures and words don't hurt anyone,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-govier/pictures-and-words-don-t-hurt-anyone-except-for-those-who-are-afraid/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-govier/pictures-and-words-don-t-hurt-anyone-except-for-those-who-are-afraid/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```