How do you stop violence with just one word? Lies lead to violence. Truth can dispel lies and stop violence. Writers, like Alexander Solzhenitsyn, have the ability to tell the truth and stop the lies produced by the government. The author urges others to write the truth in order to stop the violence in this world.
This piece was written as an acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize. The author won the prize for writing an essay about Stalin. His piece stated that Stalin was bad for the country and for its people. For this, Stalin tried to silence him by imprisoning him for 12 years. Once Stalin left power, Solzhenitsyn was released. He then escaped from Russia and lived in Sweden before moving to the United States.
A lying government can be stopped. The press has the ability and the obligation to disclose the truth. A government that is not supported by its people will eventually fail.
Chinese Stamp, 1950. Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong ...
English: TROITSE-LYKOVO. With Aleksandr Solzhenits...
1933 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Norman Angell on...The government lies; to keep people believing that the rulers or government are fair and that they should be remain in power. Disclosing falsehoods will dissolve support and eventually lead to a change.
I think the author's view is overly simplistic. While it is true in a sense, the truth must be written, spoken, distributed and adopted by the audience. Only then will it defeat the violence and lies.
Norwegian Nobel Committee
Truth is like the sun
Stockholm Concert Hall, where the awarding ceremon...