Genocide Quote by Philip Gourevitch
““...great and sustained destruction requires great ambition. It must be conceived as the means toward achieving a new order, and although the idea behind that new order may be criminal and objectively very stupid, it must also be compellingly simple and at the same time absolute. The ideology of genocide is all of those things.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Dark Side of the Earth by Philip Gourevitch, 2006
The quote argues that genocidal ideologies combine grand ambition, simplicity, and absolute certainty, making them dangerously persuasive despite their immoral nature.
In simple terms: Genocidal ideas are big, simple, and absolute, making them persuasive.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and challenge simplistic, absolute narratives.
Themes
genocide
ideology
politics
power
morality
Mood
cautious
critical
somber
Type
warning
analytical
reflective
When to use this quote
- political movements
- radicalization
- education curricula
- media analysis
- policy making
Key Concepts
extremism
psychology of persuasion
authoritarianism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do simple, absolute narratives gain followers?
- What safeguards can prevent extremist ideologies from taking root?
A Different Perspective
Such ideologies may also arise from fear, insecurity, or perceived loss of status, not only ambition.
![“Just as a state's police swear to prevent and punish murder, so the signers of the Genocide Convention [in 1948] swore to police a brave new world order. The rhetoric of moral utopia is a peculiar response to genocide. But those were heady days, just after the trials at Nuremberg, when the full…” quote by Philip Gourevitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/41e/philip-gourevitch-17484_brave-new-world_just-as-a-state-s-police-swear-to-preven_403389.jpg)
