...Those who know don't talk and those who talk don't know. And even the survivors who have decided to bear witness confirm it in their way: They almost all say that their experience can't be related in words, and yet, as witnesses, they're morally compelled to resort to them. Their silence, except if it is ontologically integral to their disposition, would not help truth triumph. It would only open the road to oblivion and, as one survivor put it, enable the executioner to kill his victims a second time.
The quote emphasizes the paradox of knowledge and expression in the context of trauma. It suggests that true understanding of profound experiences often eludes verbal articulation. Those who have experienced great suffering are sometimes left without the words to convey their truths fully. The struggle between the need to share one's experience and the inadequacy of language highlights the complexity of communicating suffering. Survivors feel a moral obligation to speak, even when they recognize that their words may fall short of capturing the depths of their experiences.
The survivor's dilemma reflects a broader societal responsibility to remember and bear witness to atrocities. Silence can perpetuate ignorance and allow the memory of events to fade, potentially leading to history repeating itself. By choosing to speak, even imperfectly, survivors act against oblivion, ensuring that the victims are honored, and the truth is preserved. Elie Wiesel's message serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing impact of trauma and the necessity of storytelling in the face of suffering.
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