“What progress we are making. In the Middle Ages they would have burned me. Now they are content with burning my books.”
- May 6, 1856 – September 23, 1939
- Austrian
- Neurologist, Founder of Psychoanalysis
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Quote
“What progress we are making. In the Middle Ages they would have burned me. Now they are content with burning my books.”
Explanation
In this quote, Freud delivers a biting yet ironic commentary on societal progress, particularly in relation to censorship and intellectual repression. He acknowledges a shift from literal, physical persecution—as practiced in the Middle Ages through executions and inquisitions—to symbolic or intellectual suppression, such as book burnings. The remark suggests that while modern society claims to be more enlightened or tolerant, it still resists uncomfortable truths—targeting ideas rather than individuals.
This sentiment emerged in the context of Freud’s works being banned and publicly burned, especially by the Nazis in the 1930s. As a Jewish intellectual and founder of psychoanalysis, Freud represented a challenge to authoritarian ideologies, traditional morality, and cultural purity. His comment reveals both resilience and dark humor: even though his physical safety may be more secure than in past centuries, his ideas remain threatening enough to provoke fear and destruction.
Today, the quote speaks to ongoing struggles over freedom of thought, expression, and the role of dissenting voices in society. Book bans, cultural backlash, and ideological silencing continue to reflect how power often targets the written word when it cannot control the thinker. Freud’s statement stands as a reminder that intellectual courage still invites resistance, and that true progress must be measured not only by what is no longer punished, but by what is allowed to be heard and preserved.
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