Bearing fruit Quote by Mahmoud Dowlatabadi
““Who am I trying to fool? I'm well aware that at every stage of history there have been crimes against humanity, and they couldn't have happened without humans to commit them. The crimes that have been visited on my children have been committed, and still are being committed, by young people just like them, by people stirring up their delusions, giving them delusions of grandeur. So why do I imagine that people might improve? Everything going on around us seems to indicate that the values our forebears passed down to us no longer apply. Instead, we have sown the seeds of mistrust, scepticism and resignation, which will grow into a jungle of nihilism and cynicism, a jungle in which you will never find the courage to even mention the names of goodness, truth and common humanity, a corp that is now bearing fruit with remarkable speed. We're obliged to dig our own children's graves, but what's even more shocking is that these crimes are creating a future in which there is no place for truth and human decency. Nobody dare to speak truth anymore. Oh, my poor children ... we are burying you, but you should realize that we are also digging a grave for our future. Can you hear me?””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Blindness by José Saramago, 1995 (quoted in adaptation)
The passage laments humanity’s recurring cruelty, growing mistrust, and loss of truth, warning of a bleak future if unaddressed.
In simple terms: Humanity repeats crimes, losing truth and hope.
Seek truth and foster empathy.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- education
- policy making
- community building
- mental health advocacy
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What steps can restore trust in society?
- How can we nurture truth in younger generations?
Optimism and collective action can counteract despair.