Quote by Mark Twain
I said there was nothing so convincing to an Indian as a general massacre. If he could not approve of the massacre, I said the next surest thing for an Indian was soap and education. Soap and education are not as sudden as a massacre, but they are more deadly in the long run; because a half-massacred Indian may recover, but if you educate him and wash him, it is bound to finish him some time or other.
Summary
This quote satirically refers to the ways in which colonial powers justified their actions towards indigenous populations. The speaker suggests that while an immediate massacre may be overtly violent, the long-term effects of introducing soap and education to indigenous people will ultimately erode their cultural identity and way of life. It highlights the destructive nature of colonization, emphasizing how supposedly benevolent actions can be just as harmful in extinguishing native cultures.
Topics
Education
By Mark Twain
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