Albert Camus — Quote from The Plague
“The evil that is in the world always comes of ignorance, and good intentions may do as much harm as malevolence, if they lack understanding.”
The Plague (1947)
Concepts: praxis, solidarity, agency
Resonant Quotes
- “If I love you, I have to make you conscious of the things you don't see.” — James Baldwin, A Rap on Race Baldwin's loving consciousness-raising and Camus's warning about ignorance both recognize that genuine care requires ...
- “The salvation of this human world lies nowhere else than in the human heart, ...” — Václav Havel, Address to US Congress Both authors locate the source of both evil and salvation in human consciousness itself—Camus in our capacity for und...
- “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until...” — James Baldwin, The Cross of Redemption Both quotes emphasize that confronting reality with clear understanding is the prerequisite for meaningful action—Cam...
- “Only dialogue, which requires critical thinking, is also capable of generatin...” — Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed Both identify ignorance as the root of harm and emphasize that good intentions without critical understanding can per...
- “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until...” — James Baldwin, The Cross of Redemption Both thinkers emphasize that genuine moral action requires clear-sighted recognition of reality—Baldwin's 'facing' an...
- “The real question is whether the brighter future is really always so distant....” — Václav Havel, The Power of the Powerless Both quotes suggest that human blindness prevents us from recognizing existing possibilities for good, with Camus foc...
- “Action, the only activity that goes on directly between men without the inter...” — Hannah Arendt, The Human Condition Both examine the complexities of human action in plurality, with Camus revealing how direct action between people can...
- “To exist, humanly, is to name the world, to change it. Once named, the world ...” — Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed Both recognize that human action requires continuous reexamination—Freire's cycle of naming and renaming parallels Ca...