"Telling the truth”-which for so long was itself a problematic exercise thanks to competing "truths” and the cost of airing them publicly-now became a virtue in itself. And the bigger the truth you have to tell, the greater your claim upon the attention of fellow citizens and sympathetic observers. Thus, despite the obvious risk of appearing to compete with the ultimate truth of Jewish genocide, speaking openly about hitherto uncomfortable episodes in the recent German past opens the possibility of encouraging the telling of many stories. (Tony Judt)

"Telling the truth”-which for so long was itself a problematic exercise thanks to competing "truths” and the cost of airing them publicly-now became a virtue in itself. And the bigger the truth you have to tell, the greater your claim upon the attention of fellow citizens and sympathetic observers. Thus, despite the obvious risk of appearing to compete with the ultimate truth of Jewish genocide, speaking openly about hitherto uncomfortable episodes in the recent German past opens the possibility of encouraging the telling of many stories.

Tony Judt

Related topics

airing appearing attention claim cost despite encouraging exercise fellow german jewish past possibility problematic recent risk speaking telling tell thanks thus truth ultimate virtue genocide

Related quotes