Apathy Quote by Noam Chomsky
“It is only in folk tales, children's stories, and the journals of intellectual opinion that power is used wisely and well to destroy evil. The real world teaches very different lessons, and it takes willful and dedicated ignorance to fail to perceive them.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: Media and Power, 1999
Power is rarely used for good; real-world politics often ignore moral lessons from stories.
In simple terms: Power is seldom used wisely.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions about power and morality.
Themes
politics
ethics
media
Mood
skeptical
critical
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- political analysis
- policy making
- education
- public discourse
Key Concepts
realism
critical theory
illusion
Questions to Reflect On
- What stories shape your view of power?
- How do you confront willful ignorance?
A Different Perspective
Idealistic narratives can obscure harsh realities, leading to complacency.
![“I wrote an article about the marine landing [in Haiti] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two months later and I assumed by then, "of course, everybody knows." Nobody knew. There was a news report in the Wall Street Journal, in the petroleum journals, and…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dc5/noam-chomsky-42_articles_i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-land_13341.jpg)
