“But censorship by itself doesn’t work. It is, as Mao said, about the pen and the gun.”

—  Ai Weiwei

2010-, China’s Censorship Can Never Defeat the Internet, 2012

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "But censorship by itself doesn’t work. It is, as Mao said, about the pen and the gun." by Ai Weiwei?
Ai Weiwei photo
Ai Weiwei 218
Chinese concept artist 1957

Related quotes

Stephen Colbert photo

“The pen is mightier than the sword, if you shoot that pen out of a gun”

Stephen Colbert (1964) American political satirist, writer, comedian, television host, and actor
Tony Benn photo
Seamus Heaney photo

“Between my finger and my thumb
The squat pen rests; snug as a gun.”

Seamus Heaney (1939–2013) Irish poet, playwright, translator, lecturer

Source: Opened Ground: Selected Poems, 1966-1996

Derek Landy photo

“Honesty is, honestly, the best policy,” said Saracen. “But when honesty doesn’t work, lie, and lie convincingly.”

Derek Landy (1974) Irish children's writer

Source: The Dying of the Light

Jerry Coyne photo

“Remember three things about censorship. First, it doesn’t work to suppress art or words that you don’t like. Second, trying to censor something just arouses interest in it, as well as resentment towards those who try to tell others what they can or cannot see. Third, exhibiting art or recommending that students read a book does not mean an endorsement of the image or contents.”

Jerry Coyne (1949) American biologist

" National Coalition Against Censorship and PEN defend Met’s showing of a “controversial” painting https://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2017/12/09/national-coalition-against-censorship-and-pen-defend-mets-showing-of-a-controversial-painting/" December 9, 2017

Newton Lee photo
Alex Jones photo
Robert LeFevre photo

“Owning a gun doesn’t make someone a “shooter” any more than owning a surfboard makes someone a surfer.”

James Wesley Rawles (1960) Survivalist-fiction author and blogger

Source: How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It, Plume, New York (2009), p. 15

“Most girls like play pretties, but you like guns, don’t you?
I don't care a thing in the world about guns. If I did I would have one that worked.”

Source: True Grit (1968), Chapter 7, p. 178 : exchange between 'Lucky Ned Pepper' and 'Mattie Ross'

Related topics