Believe Quote by Salman Rushdie
“A people that has remained convinced of its greatness and invulnerability, that has chosen to believe such a myth in the face of all the evidence, is a people in the grip of a kind of sleep, or madness.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Acceptance Speech, 2007
National Book Critics Circle Awards
In simple terms: A society that clings to false greatness and denies evidence is trapped in collective denial or irrationality.
Key Takeaway
Denial of reality leads to societal stagnation.
Themes
Question and challenge prevailing myths.
Mood
critical
skeptical
serious
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- mythmaking
- cognitive bias
- social complacency
- political rhetoric
Key Concepts
hubris
denial
collective delusion
critical thinking
truth
Practical Applications
- political discourse
- education reform
- media analysis
Questions to Reflect On
- How do myths sustain power?
- What evidence can break collective denial?
A Different Perspective
Overlooks individual agency within societies.
