Take Responsibility for the Face of the World

“The symbols of today enable the reality of tomorrow. Notice swastikas and other signs of hate. Do not look away, and do not get used to them. Remove them yourself and set an example for others to do so.”

–Timothy Snyder, On Tyranny

This lesson resonates for us as creative people. Our instinctive understanding of this lesson was about creating beauty, hope, and resistance in the face of hate coming to power. However, this lesson can even apply more broadly in our everyday lives; for example, when there is litter in the street (pick it up) or when we see neighbors sleeping in their cars (approach them and see how we can assist). 

In On Tyranny, Snyder concentrates on symbols of hate and the need to refuse symbolic actions that contribute to the overall panorama of a tyrannical regime. In his YouTube video on this tenet, he references the Confederate monuments & flags that were toppled and removed from public spaces by activists and states over the past several years. He argues that symbols have a meaning when they are created, and they retain that meaning when they become a thing of the past but are used in the contemporary moment. Each of these meanings (if they differ) must still be acknowledged and considered. We should consider whether we want the original, historical meaning to carry forward into our present day display of the symbol–or even into the future–or whether it needs to be revised or eliminated, as in the case of the Confederate symbols.

Prompted by this lesson, I painted over the n-word that was spray painted on a business’ exterior wall. I had attempted to contact management but had no luck and so took the clean up into my own hands. 

–Claire

Hear Timothy Snyder speak about this lesson on YouTube.

This lesson was letterpress printed in Warm Red ink on a Vandercook proofing press.