“Information is the oxygen of the modern age. It seeps through the walls topped by barbed wire, it wafts across the electrified borders.”
- February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004
- American
- The 40th President of the United States, Actor, Politician, Governor of California
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Quote
“Information is the oxygen of the modern age. It seeps through the walls topped by barbed wire, it wafts across the electrified borders.”
Explanation
In this quote, Ronald Reagan powerfully conveys the transformative and unstoppable nature of information in the modern world. By calling it “the oxygen of the modern age,” he equates information with life itself—essential, pervasive, and sustaining. The imagery of it seeping through barbed wire and wafting across electrified borders suggests that no regime, no matter how repressive, can fully contain the spread of truth and knowledge. It is a celebration of the power of free communication to erode oppression and inspire liberation.
This quote is deeply rooted in Reagan’s Cold War philosophy, particularly his support for democracy, open societies, and the free flow of information as tools to undermine totalitarian regimes like the Soviet Union. He championed radio broadcasts, literature, and media outreach that reached behind the Iron Curtain, believing that once people were exposed to truth and alternative ideas, they would reject tyranny and demand freedom. For Reagan, information was a weapon against censorship, propaganda, and isolation.
Today, the quote resonates in discussions about internet freedom, digital rights, and the role of media in authoritarian states. It underscores the belief that truth cannot be permanently suppressed, and that access to information empowers people to challenge injustice and claim their rights. Reagan’s words remain a testament to the enduring idea that light—once shone—cannot be hidden, and that in the age of connectivity, freedom travels as fast as the truth can be told.
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