THE EDGE OF THE ABYSS / part 4

 Aphorisms 

by Marina Aristo Markovic 


Foreword

In the following aphorisms, a sharp, unflinching gaze is cast upon the complex interplay of freedom, truth, and the media in our contemporary world. These thoughts don’t just ask questions, they challenge the narratives we are often told to accept without question.

At their core, these reflections are a commentary on the contradictions and compromises that underpin society’s supposed freedoms. They expose the gap between the ideals we profess and the realities we navigate. In a world where “freedom” and “truth” are marketed, manipulated, and sometimes withheld, these aphorisms pull no punches in their critique of power structures, social expectations, and the ever-blurring line between information and control.

Each line is a provocation, designed to prompt reflection on how we engage with our own liberty, our right to speak, and our relationship with the truth. They ask not only how we define freedom but what we are willing to sacrifice in its name. Ultimately, these aphorisms are a call to see the world more clearly, to question what we are told, and to consider whether true freedom can ever exist without a full, unvarnished truth.

In reading them, you may feel the weight of contradiction, the discomfort of honesty, and the challenge of confronting the world not as it is presented to us, but as it truly is.


IV. FREEDOM AND TRUTH

* We’ll close our eyes to the truth. We just need to see who’ll pay for that.

* Freedom of the press exists, where journalists have escaped control.

* There’s no censorship, but let’s not talk about that.

* If there’s no freedom of the press, that’s not news.

* Do you want freedom of speech or freedom of movement? You have freedom of thought, think carefully.

* If only we were deaf, mute, and blind, we could finally enjoy freedom of speech in peace.

* It’s good you have your own opinion, but better if you had mine.

* It’s your right to know everything. I’ll answer all my questions.

* We can talk about anything you want, except dialogue.

* When it comes to some people’s honesty, there’s nothing to talk about.

* Freedom is here on sale.

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