“The dissident does not operate in the realm of genuine power at all. He is not seeking power.”

— Václav Havel

Living in Truth (1986), An Anatomy of Reticence
Context: The dissident does not operate in the realm of genuine power at all. He is not seeking power. He has no desire for office and does not gather votes. He does not attempt to charm the public, he offers nothing and promises nothing. He can offer, if anything, only his own skin — and he offers it solely because he has no other way of affirming the truth he stands for. His actions simply articulate his dignity as a citizen, regardless of the cost.

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Václav Havel126

playwright, essayist, poet, dissident and 1st President of … 1936–2011

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“The dissident does not operate in the realm of genuine power at all. He is not seeking power.”

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