“The iron curtain is not just a metaphor. It was a real, physical barrier that divided Europe.”
What this quote means
Anne Applebaum stresses the material reality of the Iron Curtain: it was not just an image but a concrete frontier of barbed wire, walls, and guards. This precision reminds us that political divisions have physical and human consequences. It urges us not to trivialize symbols, as they often embody real suffering and broken lives.
How to apply it daily
When you hear a political metaphor, seek to understand the concrete realities it covers, and learn about the people affected.
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