America Quote by Robert Coover
““Oh, he shouldn't be surprised, he's a Marxist and has nothing but contempt for the bourgeois capitalist press, yet paradoxically he is also somehow an Americanist and a believer in Science and Freedom and History and Reason, and it dismays him to see cruelty politely concealed in data, madness taken for granted and even honored, truth buried away and rotting in all that ex cathedra trivia--my God! something terrible is about to happen, and they have time to editorialize on mustaches, advertise pink cigarettes for weddings, and report on a lost parakeet! Ah, sometimes he just wants to ram the goddamn thing with his head in an all-out frontal attack, wants to destroy all this so-called history so that history can start again.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Public Burning, Robert Coover, 1977
A Marxist critic paradoxically embraces American ideals, fearing hidden cruelties in data and history.
In simple terms: Contradictory beliefs fuel fear of concealed truth.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and reconcile conflicting viewpoints.
Themes
politics
ideology
history
media criticism
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- academic analysis
- political debate
- media literacy
Key Concepts
paradox
cognitive dissonance
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you handle contradictory beliefs?
- What role does media play in shaping perception?
A Different Perspective
Complex ideas may be oversimplified in critique.
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![“I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. [salutes]” quote by Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3d2/bill-hicks-970_america_i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumor_655.jpg)
