--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The nightmare of censorship has always…" description: "\"The nightmare of censorship has always cast a shadow over my thoughts. Both under the previous state and under the Islamic state, I have said again and..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b1/simin-behbahani-43082_censorship_the-nightmare-of-censorship-has-always-c_113963.jpg" --- # The nightmare of censorship has always cast a shadow over… ![“The nightmare of censorship has always cast a shadow over my thoughts. Both under the previous state and under the Islamic state, I have said again and again that, when there is an apparatus for censorship that filters all writing, an apparatus comes into being in every writer's mind that says…” quote by Simin Behbahani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b1/simin-behbahani-43082_censorship_the-nightmare-of-censorship-has-always-c_113963.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b1/simin-behbahani-43082_censorship_the-nightmare-of-censorship-has-always-c_113963.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b1/simin-behbahani-43082_censorship_the-nightmare-of-censorship-has-always-c_113963.jpg) > “The nightmare of censorship has always cast a shadow over my thoughts. Both under the previous state and under the Islamic state, I have said again and again that, when there is an apparatus for censorship that filters all writing, an apparatus comes into being in every writer's mind that says: "Don't write this, they won't allow it to be published." But the true writer must ignore these murmurings. The true writer must write. In the end, it will be published one day, on the condition that the writer writes the truth and does not dissemble.” [Simin Behbahani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simin-behbahani/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author argues that censorship creates self‑censorship in writers, but true writers must ignore that inner voice and write truthfully, trusting eventual publication. **In simple terms:** Writers must defy censorship and write truth. Key Takeaway Truthful writing persists despite external suppression. Themes censorship freedom of expression truth writing Mood defiant hopeful Type philosophical call to action When to use this quote - journalism under authoritarian regimes - academic publishing - social media activism Key Concepts psychology of self‑censorship political oppression Practical Applications - Practice blind drafting - Seek alternative publishing platforms Questions to Reflect On - What risks do writers face when confronting censorship? - How can societies protect truthful expression? A Different Perspective Even truthful writing can be weaponized; context matters for impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Allow Published](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allow-published-1346329/) [Apparatus Censorship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apparatus-censorship-1346326/) [Censorship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/censorship/) [Islamic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islamic/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [My thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-thoughts/) [Nightmare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nightmare/) [Nightmare Censorship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nightmare-censorship-1346327/) [One day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-day/) [Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shadow/) [Writes Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writes-truth-1346328/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I must say a few words about memory. It is full of holes. 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It's a good kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-momsen/i-have-a-place-in-new-england-it-s-in-the-middle-of-nowhere-like/) [Taylor Momsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-momsen/) > [Eleanor's voice was below zero. 'My finest horse to whichever faerie in this room brings me that woman's left eye.' My thoughts exactly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/eleanor-s-voice-was-below-zero-my-finest-horse-to-whichever-faerie-in/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [My writing table has seen all my wretchedness, knows all my plans, has overheard all my thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/my-writing-table-has-seen-all-my-wretchedness-knows-all-my-plans-has/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Even when I was saying I was Agnostic and trying to figure out my thoughts, I felt God was allowing me to do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfre-woodard/even-when-i-was-saying-i-was-agnostic-and-trying-to-figure-out-my/) [Alfre Woodard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfre-woodard/) > [Sure, I’m dramatic and sloppily semi-cynical and semi-sentimental. But, in leisure years I could grow and choose my way. 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It's true that philosophers and thinkers have always imagined a utopia in which everything is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simin-behbahani/democracy-is-the-product-of-human-thought-and-reasoning-it-s-true/) [Simin Behbahani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simin-behbahani/) > [I've stood in long lines, in the rain and under the sun, just to buy a pack of butter or a box of paper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simin-behbahani/i-ve-stood-in-long-lines-in-the-rain-and-under-the-sun-just-to-buy-a/) [Simin Behbahani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simin-behbahani/) [Explore all 9 Simin Behbahani quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simin-behbahani/) ## More Censorship quotes > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [“Censors don’t want children exposed to ideas different from their own. 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Cialdini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-cialdini/) > [The only thing that is obscene is censorship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-thing-that-is-obscene-is-censorship/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In a feature film, the question of censorship always comes up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javed-jaffrey/in-a-feature-film-the-question-of-censorship-always-comes-up/) [Javed Jaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javed-jaffrey/) > [“Don't join the book burners. Don't think you're going to conceal faults by concealing evidence that they ever existed. Don't be afraid to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/don-t-join-the-book-burners-don-t-think-you-re-going-to-conceal/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [ If no one speaks out for \[young readers\], if they don’t speak out for themselves, all they’ll get for required reading will be the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-blume/if-no-one-speaks-out-for-young-readers-if-they-don-t-speak-out-for/) [Judy Blume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-blume/) [Browse all 884 Censorship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/censorship/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The nightmare of censorship has always cast a shadow over my thoughts. Both under the previous state and under the Islamic state, I have said again and again that, when there is an apparatus for censorship that filters all writing, an apparatus comes into being in every writer's mind that says: \"Don't write this, they won't allow it to be published.\" But the true writer must ignore these murmurings. The true writer must write. 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