--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is not just that it is profoundly…" description: "\"It is not just that it is profoundly offensive to the leaders and people of a democratic Germany to paint Hitler on the wall (or on the remnants of the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/timothy-garton-ash-15575_britain_it-is-not-just-that-it-is-profoundly-off_1285966.jpg" --- # It is not just that it is profoundly offensive to the… ![“It is not just that it is profoundly offensive to the leaders and people of a democratic Germany to paint Hitler on the wall (or on the remnants of the Wall). It is also consummately counterproductive. Such sauce does not make the meat of substantive criticism more interesting. It means that the…” quote by Timothy Garton Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/timothy-garton-ash-15575_britain_it-is-not-just-that-it-is-profoundly-off_1285966.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/timothy-garton-ash-15575_britain_it-is-not-just-that-it-is-profoundly-off_1285966.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/timothy-garton-ash-15575_britain_it-is-not-just-that-it-is-profoundly-off_1285966.jpg) > “It is not just that it is profoundly offensive to the leaders and people of a democratic Germany to paint Hitler on the wall (or on the remnants of the Wall). It is also consummately counterproductive. Such sauce does not make the meat of substantive criticism more interesting. It means that the whole dish is pushed away. It does not mean that Britain's voice is listened to more attentively in the councils of Europe. It means that it is listened to even less.” [Timothy Garton Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-garton-ash/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Using sensationalist symbols like Hitler to criticize contemporary politics distracts from substantive issues and weakens the argument. **In simple terms:** Provocative symbols hurt real critique. Key Takeaway Focus on facts, not shock value. Themes politics communication history ethics Mood critical analytical Type political ethical When to use this quote - public debate - media commentary - policy analysis Key Concepts propaganda rhetoric Questions to Reflect On - Is it ever justified to use extreme imagery for political criticism? - How can critics convey urgency without sensationalism? A Different Perspective Shock tactics can backfire, reducing audience engagement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Britain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/britain/) [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Germany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/germany/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Pushed away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pushed-away/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) [Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall/) ## Related quotes > [“There’s a bed, a little fold-out table, and cabinets made of actual wood. These in combination with the photographs of family and friends give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/there-s-a-bed-a-little-fold-out-table-and-cabinets-made-of-actual/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [You wonder why I pushed everyone away? Well, I was sick and tired of putting in 100% when all I got in return is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iimyotherdarkside/you-wonder-why-i-pushed-everyone-away-well-i-was-sick-and-tired-of/) Iimyotherdarkside > [There's more than one way to be a girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-faust/there-s-more-than-one-way-to-be-a-girl/) [Lauren Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-faust/) > [What you notice is the loneliness. Daniel started to isolate himself, because it hurt less than being pushed away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/what-you-notice-is-the-loneliness-daniel-started-to-isolate-himself/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [If youre getting pushed away, dont hold on tighter. Letting go when youre getting pushed is the only way he will feel what its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-youre-getting-pushed-away-dont-hold-on-tighter-letting-go-when/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If one day you notice that we haven't talked in a while. It's not because I don't care anymore, It's because you pushed me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rayy/if-one-day-you-notice-that-we-haven-t-talked-in-a-while-it-s-not/) Rayy > [When have somebody that is willing to help u out nd they u dnt apresh8 it then when u find dat those u followed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-have-somebody-that-is-willing-to-help-u-out-nd-they-u-dnt/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Taylor pushed away her plate, let the companionable silence build. She hated to drag everyone into her paranoia, but she knew she needed her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-t-ellison/taylor-pushed-away-her-plate-let-the-companionable-silence-build-she/) [J.T. Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-t-ellison/) > [Any man that tries to get close to me gets pushed away, the ones that give up arent worthy, its the ones that push…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tashh-rdc/any-man-that-tries-to-get-close-to-me-gets-pushed-away-the-ones-that/) [Tashh Rdc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tashh-rdc/) > [“Sometimes we push people away to see if they will come back, to test their commitment. Sometimes we let ourselves be pushed away waiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cody-edward-lee-miller/sometimes-we-push-people-away-to-see-if-they-will-come-back-to-test/) [Cody Edward Lee Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cody-edward-lee-miller/) > [Anything else you want to tell me?” I asked Valek as we stopped a few feet short of the castle’s south entrance. “Did Ari…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-v-snyder/anything-else-you-want-to-tell-me-i-asked-valek-as-we-stopped-a-few/) [Maria V. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-v-snyder/) > [...since I was a little boy, she had always wanted me to go. She was always sending me off on a bus someplace, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/since-i-was-a-little-boy-she-had-always-wanted-me-to-go-she-was/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [“I pushed him away by his shoulders and slapped my dick against his cheek. “It’s my turn to play top.” I wasn’t used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cox/i-pushed-him-away-by-his-shoulders-and-slapped-my-dick-against-his/) [James Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cox/) > [“I fell for you. You fell for me. Our friendship was just meant to be. I asked if you loved me, and you said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/em/i-fell-for-you-you-fell-for-me-our-friendship-was-just-meant-to-be-i/) Em > [If ur getting pushed away, dont hold on tighter. Letting go when ur getting pushed is the only way she will feel what its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemantsmarty/if-ur-getting-pushed-away-dont-hold-on-tighter-letting-go-when-ur/) Hemantsmarty ## More by Timothy Garton Ash > [I'm a historian by training and by conviction. And so the thing that has throughout informed my thinking about international relations is history. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-garton-ash/i-m-a-historian-by-training-and-by-conviction-and-so-the-thing-that/) [Timothy Garton Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-garton-ash/) > [America should do a reverse Columbus. The world no longer needs to discover America; but America urgently needs to discover the world's view of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-garton-ash/america-should-do-a-reverse-columbus-the-world-no-longer-needs-to/) [Timothy Garton Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-garton-ash/) > [Yet another thing Canadians and Europeans have in common is an obsession with the United States, and with distinguishing themselves from it, often by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-garton-ash/yet-another-thing-canadians-and-europeans-have-in-common-is-an/) [Timothy Garton Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-garton-ash/) > [Ordinary Americans, and especially the small minority active in Democrat and Republican primaries, must learn more of what people across the globe are thinking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-garton-ash/ordinary-americans-and-especially-the-small-minority-active-in/) [Timothy Garton Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-garton-ash/) > [No country in Europe has a larger proportion of men and women of immigrant descent, mainly from the African continent and mainly Muslim: an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-garton-ash/no-country-in-europe-has-a-larger-proportion-of-men-and-women-of/) [Timothy Garton Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-garton-ash/) > [Well, that's the way democracy works. We have to build this Europe with the material we have at our disposal. And this material is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-garton-ash/well-that-s-the-way-democracy-works-we-have-to-build-this-europe-with/) [Timothy Garton Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-garton-ash/) > [Europe is a woman, now middle-aged, who has already had a number of heart attacks and is currently experiencing the biggest health crisis of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-garton-ash/europe-is-a-woman-now-middle-aged-who-has-already-had-a-number-of/) [Timothy Garton Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-garton-ash/) > [The main problem with American power is not that it is American... No, the main problem with American power is the power itself. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-garton-ash/the-main-problem-with-american-power-is-not-that-it-is-american-no/) [Timothy Garton Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-garton-ash/) > [What is the elephant in all our rooms? It is the global triumph of capitalism. Democracy is fiercely disputed. Freedom is under threat even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-garton-ash/what-is-the-elephant-in-all-our-rooms-it-is-the-global-triumph-of/) [Timothy Garton Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-garton-ash/) > [Nuclear proliferation - the proliferation of WMDs altogether - is one of the greatest dangers of our time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-garton-ash/nuclear-proliferation-the-proliferation-of-wmds-altogether-is-one-of/) [Timothy Garton Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-garton-ash/) > [I find Chinese debates about their political system domestically, but also about China's claims in the international system, to be among the most original…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-garton-ash/i-find-chinese-debates-about-their-political-system-domestically-but/) [Timothy Garton Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-garton-ash/) > [Every step that produces a single job for a currently unemployed European should be taken. Every centimetre of red tape that puts someone out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-garton-ash/every-step-that-produces-a-single-job-for-a-currently-unemployed/) [Timothy Garton Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-garton-ash/) > [But transitions from the politics of violence to democratic compromise are always messy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-garton-ash/but-transitions-from-the-politics-of-violence-to-democratic/) [Timothy Garton Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-garton-ash/) > [America is divided by a great argument about itself. Europe is divided by a great argument about America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-garton-ash/america-is-divided-by-a-great-argument-about-itself-europe-is-divided/) [Timothy Garton Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-garton-ash/) > [The trouble is that privacy is at once essential to, and in tension with, both freedom and security. A cabinet minister who keeps his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-garton-ash/the-trouble-is-that-privacy-is-at-once-essential-to-and-in-tension/) [Timothy Garton Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-garton-ash/) [Explore all 42 Timothy Garton Ash quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-garton-ash/) ## More Britain quotes > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [In Britain, the press want to kill a show by revealing what's coming up and spoiling the pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-bonneville/in-britain-the-press-want-to-kill-a-show-by-revealing-what-s-coming/) [Hugh Bonneville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-bonneville/) > [If we don't like modern Britain, then it is very unlikely that modern Britain will like us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-green/if-we-don-t-like-modern-britain-then-it-is-very-unlikely-that-modern/) [Damian Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-green/) > [It is time Britain put its trust back into the Labour Party. I believe I am the candidate that can make this happen precisely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/it-is-time-britain-put-its-trust-back-into-the-labour-party-i-believe/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) > [Britain has the IRA and no one cancels concerts there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-osbourne/britain-has-the-ira-and-no-one-cancels-concerts-there/) [Sharon Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-osbourne/) > [The establishment in Britain is certainly against the arts and against education. If something doesn't make a profit, it's invalid, and art doesn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-maxwell-davies/the-establishment-in-britain-is-certainly-against-the-arts-and/) [Peter Maxwell Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-maxwell-davies/) > [We from every religion feel comfortable in Britain because there is a host. The Church of England is a good host, it has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/we-from-every-religion-feel-comfortable-in-britain-because-there-is-a/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [The larger an English industry was, the more likely it was to go bankrupt, because the English were not naturally corporate people; they disliked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/the-larger-an-english-industry-was-the-more-likely-it-was-to-go/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [I think the first person to call me 'Britain's Obama' was Martin Bright at the New Statesman. Harriet Harman made the comparison once at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuka-umunna/i-think-the-first-person-to-call-me-britain-s-obama-was-martin-bright/) [Chuka Umunna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuka-umunna/) > [I am the last of Britain's stately homos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/i-am-the-last-of-britain-s-stately-homos/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [ As for whether what happened in Britain improves\[Donald\] Trump's chances of winning, I don't think so. He has the same chances; we may just… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-michael-cillizza/as-for-whether-what-happened-in-britain-improves-donald-trump-s/) [Christopher Michael Cillizza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-michael-cillizza/) > [Britain, like other European states, is not and never will again be in the top-world-power league, so its male leaders can afford to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/britain-like-other-european-states-is-not-and-never-will-again-be-in/) [Linda Colley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-colley/) > [When you go away, you see where you come from in a different light. I see Scotland, and the rest of Britain, as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/when-you-go-away-you-see-where-you-come-from-in-a-different-light-i/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [It was very hard breaking into the film industry in Britain. 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