Atrocities Quote by Noam Chomsky
“Kaplan can't understand trivialities. The triviality here is that nobody except the ultra right-wing jingoists like Kaplan are comparing atrocities by various countries. What honest people are saying seems to be incomprehensible: that we should keep to the elementary moral level of the gospels. We should pay attention to our own crimes and stop committing them. This would be true even if we were killing one person, OK? And it's even more true when we're killing millions of people.”
About This Quote
The speaker criticizes focus on distant atrocities while neglecting everyday moral responsibilities, urging attention to our own crimes regardless of scale.
In simple terms: Focus on personal moral accountability over distant events.
Key Takeaway
Prioritize ethical self‑examination.
Themes
morality
accountability
political critique
Mood
critical
thought‑provoking
Type
political
ethical
When to use this quote
- political activism
- journalism
- education
Key Concepts
ethical responsibility
human rights
moral relativism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we balance concern for global issues with personal moral behavior?
- What actions can individuals take to address their own ethical lapses?
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