Age Quote by Richard Armour
“Book burning is a charming old custom, hallowed by antiquity. It has been practiced for centuries by fascists, communists, atheists, school children, rival authors, and tired librarians. Like everything of importance since the invention of the cloak and the shroud, its origins are cloaked in mystery and shrouded in secrecy. Some scholars believe that the first instance of book burning occurred in the Middle Ages, when a monk was trying to illuminate a manuscript. All agree that book burning was almost non-existent during the period when books were made of stone.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The History of Book Burning, 1975
Destroying books is a symbolic act of suppressing ideas, often used by extremist groups to control thought.
In simple terms: Burning books suppresses ideas.
Key Takeaway
Consider the power of ideas over destruction.
Themes
censorship
extremism
history
knowledge
power
Mood
somber
reflective
Type
cautionary
historical
When to use this quote
- political regimes
- education
- library preservation
- activism
- media criticism
Key Concepts
Ideology
control
memory
Questions to Reflect On
- How do societies preserve knowledge after loss?
- What drives people to destroy symbols of knowledge?
A Different Perspective
Even when books are destroyed, ideas can survive through oral tradition.
