--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For so many years, the official…" description: "\"“For so many years, the official propaganda machinery had denounced humanitarianism as sentimental trash and advocated human relations based entirely o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/nien-cheng-28483_china_for-so-many-years-the-official-propagand_1619434.jpg" --- # For so many years, the official propaganda machinery had… ![“For so many years, the official propaganda machinery had denounced humanitarianism as sentimental trash and advocated human relations based entirely on class allegiance. But my personal experience had shown me that most of the Chinese people remained kind, sensitive, and compassionate even though…” quote by Nien Cheng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/nien-cheng-28483_china_for-so-many-years-the-official-propagand_1619434.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/nien-cheng-28483_china_for-so-many-years-the-official-propagand_1619434.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fb/nien-cheng-28483_china_for-so-many-years-the-official-propagand_1619434.jpg) > ““For so many years, the official propaganda machinery had denounced humanitarianism as sentimental trash and advocated human relations based entirely on class allegiance. But my personal experience had shown me that most of the Chinese people remained kind, sensitive, and compassionate even though the cruel reality of the system under which they had to live compelled them to lie and pretend.”” [Nien Cheng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nien-cheng/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author observed that despite state propaganda denouncing humanitarianism, ordinary Chinese people remained compassionate, though forced to hide it. **In simple terms:** People can be kind despite oppressive systems. Key Takeaway Recognize hidden compassion in harsh environments. Themes humanity compassion political oppression resilience Mood reflective hopeful Type observational philosophical When to use this quote - daily interactions - activism - humanitarian work - conflict zones - authoritarian regimes Key Concepts psychology social conformity moral courage Questions to Reflect On - How do you notice kindness in oppressive contexts? - What risks do people take to show compassion? A Different Perspective Compassion may be suppressed and not always visible. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [China](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/) [Communism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communism/) [Human relations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-relations/) [Humanitarianism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanitarianism/) [Personal experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-experience/) [Propaganda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/propaganda/) ## Related quotes > [ The most important thing \[anarchists\] can do is educate themselves, develop a propaganda machinery in the form of books and periodicals, a literature, engage… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/the-most-important-thing-anarchists-can-do-is-educate-themselves/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [“While I listened to the words of homage to Mao, I remembered Mao’s awesome power, like a blanket over China threatening to smother whomever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nien-cheng/while-i-listened-to-the-words-of-homage-to-mao-i-remembered-mao-s/) [Nien Cheng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nien-cheng/) > [“As I stood in the room looking at it for the last time, I felt again the cold metal of the handcuffs on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nien-cheng/as-i-stood-in-the-room-looking-at-it-for-the-last-time-i-felt-again/) [Nien Cheng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nien-cheng/) > [“But it also had many large posters with messages of a more peaceful nature. 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The veneer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nien-cheng/i-supposed-the-red-guards-had-enjoyed-themselves-is-it-not-true-that/) [Nien Cheng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nien-cheng/) > [“While I listened to the words of homage to Mao, I remembered Mao’s awesome power, like a blanket over China threatening to smother whomever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nien-cheng/while-i-listened-to-the-words-of-homage-to-mao-i-remembered-mao-s/) [Nien Cheng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nien-cheng/) > [“From the point of view of the Chinese Communist Party, the greatest casualties of the Cultural Revolution were the Party’s prestige and its ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nien-cheng/from-the-point-of-view-of-the-chinese-communist-party-the-greatest/) [Nien Cheng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nien-cheng/) [Explore all 19 Nien Cheng quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nien-cheng/) ## More China quotes > [I don't want to go into space because of war. 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Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-sanger/) [Browse all 3,827 China quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/china/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“For so many years, the official propaganda machinery had denounced humanitarianism as sentimental trash and advocated human relations based entirely on class allegiance. 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