All propaganda or popularization involves a putting of the complex into the simple, but such a move is instantly not constructive. For if the complex can be put into the simple, then it cannot be as complex as it seemed in the first place; and if the simple can be an adequate medium of such complexity, then it cannot after all be as simple as all that.

Summary

This quote emphasizes that when propaganda or popularization simplifies complex ideas, it is not truly constructive. It suggests that if something complex can be reduced to something simple, it might not have been as complex to begin with. Similarly, if something simple can effectively communicate complexity, it challenges the assumption that it was always as simple as perceived. The quote highlights the limitations and potential distortions that can occur when attempting to make complex ideas more accessible to the masses.

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