Dirty work Quote by Thomas Keneally
““High Europe always played at ethnic contempt because it was High Europe, and so had the strength, the authority, to make the racial rules. We great unwashed of the outer world, on the coasts of new continents, though we might ourselves have behaved atrociously to indigenes, were baffled by the determination with which Europe returned to the frenzies of racial myth. Nice boys and not-so-nice boys took up the theme, put on the uniform, did the dirty work.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan, 2014
Europe justified colonial domination through racial myths, presenting itself as morally superior while committing atrocities abroad.
In simple terms: Europe claimed moral authority while exploiting others.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and challenge false narratives of superiority.
Themes
colonialism
racism
power
hypocrisy
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
historical
political
social
When to use this quote
- history education
- political discourse
- social justice activism
- museum curation
Key Concepts
imperialism
racial myth
moral authority
Questions to Reflect On
- How do modern societies confront lingering colonial attitudes?
- What role does education play in dismantling racial myths?
A Different Perspective
The quote reflects a specific historical perspective and may not capture all nuances of European history.
![“He [Rabbi Menasha Levartov] was one of those men who, even in the years of peace, would have advised his congregation that while God may well be honored by the inflexibility of the pious, he might also be honored by the flexibility of the sensible.” quote by Thomas Keneally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2aa/thomas-keneally-10113_peace_he-rabbi-menasha-levartov-was-one-of-tho_342049.jpg)
