---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's really a pity that there are…"
description: "\"It's really a pity that there are observers who view political events like comic strips. There has to be a Zorro, there has to be a star. No, the probl..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90d/thomas-sankara-16731_brain_it-s-really-a-pity-that-there-are-observ_16463.jpg"
---

#  It's really a pity that there are observers who view…

![“It's really a pity that there are observers who view political events like comic strips. There has to be a Zorro, there has to be a star. No, the problem of Upper Volta is more serious than that. It was a grave mistake to have looked for a man, a star, at all costs, to the point of creating one…” quote by Thomas Sankara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90d/thomas-sankara-16731_brain_it-s-really-a-pity-that-there-are-observ_16463.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90d/thomas-sankara-16731_brain_it-s-really-a-pity-that-there-are-observ_16463.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90d/thomas-sankara-16731_brain_it-s-really-a-pity-that-there-are-observ_16463.jpg)

> “It's really a pity that there are observers who view political events like comic strips. There has to be a Zorro, there has to be a star. No, the problem of Upper Volta is more serious than that. It was a grave mistake to have looked for a man, a star, at all costs, to the point of creating one, that is, to the point of attributing the ownership of the event to captain Sankara, who must have been the brains, etc.”

[Thomas Sankara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sankara/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote criticizes oversimplified narratives that cast complex political struggles as heroic tales, warning against idolizing leaders and ignoring deeper systemic issues.

**In simple terms:** Beware of reducing politics to heroic stories.

Key Takeaway

Complex realities need nuance, not myth.

Themes

political analysis hero worship narrative simplification colonial critique leadership mythmaking

Mood

critical cautious analytical

Type

political commentary philosophical observation

When to use this quote

- media reporting on coups
- educational curricula on African history
- political speeches simplifying conflict
- documentaries on revolutionary movements

Key Concepts

oversimplification heroic framing systemic complexity

Practical Applications

- critical media literacy training
- policy analysis frameworks

Questions to Reflect On

- How does hero worship affect policy decisions?
- What alternative narratives can reveal systemic causes?

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> [“I was myself so smitten in public opinion that it was the almost universal view that my political life was at last ended.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/i-was-myself-so-smitten-in-public-opinion-that-it-was-the-almost/)

[Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/)

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> [After Zorro, people spoke Spanish to me for ages. I'm Welsh but that movie instantly gave me a new ethnicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-zeta-jones/after-zorro-people-spoke-spanish-to-me-for-ages-i-m-welsh-but-that/)

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Mary Strand

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## More by Thomas Sankara

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