Themes
Making the world safe for hypocrisy.
— Thomas Wolfe • Look Homeward, Angel
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
The speaker skewers a certain project as protecting the ability to say one thing and do another. Rather than combating hypocrisy, the effort makes it comfortable and secure. The phrase turns lofty language about safety into bitter irony, suggesting pretence is what ends up defended.
Context reviewed