Keith Eric > Keith's Quotes

“One cannot expect positive results from an educational or political action program which fails to respect the particular view of the world held by the people. Such a program constitutes cultural invasion, good intentions notwithstanding.”
― Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed

“Any situation in which some men prevent others from engaging in the process of inquiry is one of violence;… to alienate humans from their own decision making is to change them into objects.”
― Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed

“The greatest humanistic and historical task of the oppressed: to liberate themselves...”
― Paulo Freire

“The educator has the duty of not being neutral.”
― Paulo Freire, We Make the Road by Walking: Conversations on Education and Social Change

“To simply think about the people, as the dominators do, without any self-giving in that thought, to fail to think with the people, is a sure way to cease being revolutionary leaders. ”
― Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed

“No pedagogy which is truly liberating can remain distant from the oppressed by treating them as unfortunates and by presenting for their emulation models from among the oppressors. The oppressed must be their own example in the struggle for their redemption (Freire, 1970, p. 54).”
― Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed

“To glorify democracy and to silence the people is a farce; to discourse on humanism and to negate people is a lie.”
― Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed

“Because love is an act of courage, not of fear, love is a commitment to others. No matter where the oppressed are found, the act of love is commitment to their cause--the cause of liberation.”
― Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed

“Freedom is acquired by conquest, not by gift. It must be pursued constantly and responsibly. Freedom is not an ideal located outside of man; nor is it an idea which becomes myth. It is rather the indispensable condition for the quest for human completion.”
― Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed

“As long as the oppressed remain unaware of the causes of their condition, they fatalistically "accept" their exploitation.”
― Paulo Freire

“Liberation is a praxis : the action and reflection of men and women upon their world in order to transform it.”
― Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed