Bears Quote by Primo Levi
“Even in this place one can survive, and therefore one must want to survive, to tell the story, to bear witness; and that to survive we must force ourselves to save at least the skeleton, the scaffolding, the form of civilization. We are slaves, deprived of every right, exposed to every insult, condemned to certain death, but we still possess one power, and we must defend it with all our strength for it is the last — the power to refuse our consent.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Drowned and Other Stories, Primo Levi, 1986
Survival comp preserving civilization's core is an act of resistance against oppression and a means to retain humanity.
In simple terms: Survive and protect civilization's basics.
Key Takeaway
Guard cultural foundations.
Themes
survival
resistance
humanity
civilization
power
Mood
defiant
reflective
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- War zones
- totalitarian regimes
- genocide remembrance
- human rights activism
Key Concepts
Existentialism
political philosophy
ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we balance survival with moral responsibility?
- What does “refusing consent” look like today?
A Different Perspective
Survival alone may not rebuild society without systemic change.
![“The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the formulas of nations at war, where any heinousness is justified on the grounds that the enemy is either an inferior [part of the] species or…” quote by Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/895/kate-millett-7301_accompany_the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imp_8896.jpg)
