# Quotes about violence

- Quotes: 169
- Authors: 109
- Narrower topics: [terrorism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/terrorism.md), [weapons](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/weapons.md), [torture](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/torture.md)
- Topic page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence
- JSON version (same data): https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.json

## Quotes

> “My own kind,” she said. “Let me tell you about my own kind. There are two sides in this, but they aren’t inner planets and outer ones. Belters and everyone else. It’s not like that. It’s the people who want more violence and the ones who want less. And no matter what other variable you sample out of, you’ll find some of both.”

[James S. A. Corey](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-s-a-corey.md) · [Nemesis Games](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-s-a-corey/nemesis-games.md) · p. 410 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-s-a-corey/nemesis-games/my-own-kind.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> Action led to action, free of any moorings, and the way to be someone, the way to catch the attention of the young and recruit them to one's cause, was to be enraged. It seemed as if the only way this lure of violence could be avoided was by having no causes, by being magnificently isolated from all loyalties. But was that not an ethical lapse graver than rage itself?

[Teju Cole](https://www.leafyquotes.com/teju-cole.md) · [Open City](https://www.leafyquotes.com/teju-cole/open-city.md) · p. 107 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/teju-cole/open-city/action-led-to-action.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [anger](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/anger.md), [loyalty](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/loyalty.md)

> Aah, violence is the only way I can make people pay attention to me.

[Athol Fugard](https://www.leafyquotes.com/athol-fugard.md) · [MASTER HAROLD AND THE BOYS](https://www.leafyquotes.com/athol-fugard/master-harold-and-the-boys.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/athol-fugard/master-harold-and-the-boys/aah-violence-is-the.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> “Be careful what you learn from me,” he said. “What is written with a sword cannot be erased.”

[Lev Grossman](https://www.leafyquotes.com/lev-grossman.md) · [The Magician King](https://www.leafyquotes.com/lev-grossman/the-magician-king.md) · p. 98 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/lev-grossman/the-magician-king/be-careful-what.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> Enlightenment and peace can never be achieved by force.

[Wesley Chu](https://www.leafyquotes.com/wesley-chu.md) · [The Lives of Tao](https://www.leafyquotes.com/wesley-chu/the-lives-of-tao.md) · p. 202 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/wesley-chu/the-lives-of-tao/enlightenment-and-peace.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [peace](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/peace.md)

> Firearms were as likely to create as to solve difficulties.

[George R. Stewart](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-r-stewart.md) · [Earth Abides](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-r-stewart/earth-abides.md) · p. 74 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-r-stewart/earth-abides/firearms-were-as-likely.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [weapons](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/weapons.md)

> Another war is always coming, Robert. They are never properly extinguished. What sparks war? The will to power, the backbone of human nature. The threat of violence, the fear of violence, or actual violence, is the instrument of this dreadful will… The nation state is merely human nature inflated to monstrous proportions. QES, nations are entities whose laws are written by violence. Thus it ever was, so ever shall it be.

[David Mitchell](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-mitchell.md) · [Cloud Atlas](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-mitchell/cloud-atlas.md) · p. 444 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-mitchell/cloud-atlas/another-war-is-always.md)

Topics: [power](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/power.md), [war](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/war.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> [...] in a cycle as old as tribalism, ignorance of the Other engenders fear; fear engenders hatred; hatred engenders violence; violence engenders further violence until the only "rights," the only law, are whatever is willed by the most powerful.

[David Mitchell](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-mitchell.md) · [Cloud Atlas](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-mitchell/cloud-atlas.md) · p. 344 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-mitchell/cloud-atlas/in-a-cycle.md)

Topics: [fear](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/fear.md), [hatred](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/hatred.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [ignorance](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/ignorance.md)

> “Desperate people do desperate things,” said Spencer-Talbot. “Perhaps if we all did more to make things less desperate, then perhaps there would be less violence.”

[Ben Aaronovitch](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ben-aaronovitch.md) · [Amongst Our Weapons](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ben-aaronovitch/amongst-our-weapons.md) · p. 240 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ben-aaronovitch/amongst-our-weapons/desperate-people-do-desperate.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [despair](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/despair.md)

> Change is a difficult, often violent process, both for individuals and for whole species. The more rapidly change, the uglier the conflict.

[Jim C. Hines](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jim-c-hines.md) · [Revisionary](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jim-c-hines/revisionary.md) · p. 121 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jim-c-hines/revisionary/change-is-a-difficult.md)

Topics: [change](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/change.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> Every religion I’ve studied has laws or commandments against killing.
>
> Historically, humanity has shown tremendous creativity in finding every possible loophole, rationalization, and justification to ignore these commandments.

[Jim C. Hines](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jim-c-hines.md) · [Codex Born](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jim-c-hines/codex-born.md) · p. 296 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jim-c-hines/codex-born/every-religion-ive.md)

Topics: [hypocrisy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/hypocrisy.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> The important thing to know about an assassination or an attempted assassination is not who fired the shot, but who paid for the bullet.

[Eric Ambler](https://www.leafyquotes.com/eric-ambler.md) · [The Mask of Dimitrios](https://www.leafyquotes.com/eric-ambler/the-mask-of-dimitrios.md) · p. 18 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/eric-ambler/the-mask-of-dimitrios/the-important-thing.md)

Topics: [money](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/money.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> Over generations, love of the maji turned into fear. Fear turned into hate. Hate transformed into violence, a desire to wipe the maji away.”

[Tomi Adeyemi](https://www.leafyquotes.com/tomi-adeyemi.md) · [Children of Virtue and Vengeance](https://www.leafyquotes.com/tomi-adeyemi/children-of-virtue-and-vengeance.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/tomi-adeyemi/children-of-virtue-and-vengeance/over-generations-love.md)

Topics: [fear](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/fear.md), [hatred](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/hatred.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> What's crazy is the idea that revolutionaries must shoot and bomb and kill, that revolution is the same as war. (p305)

[Maxine Hong Kingston](https://www.leafyquotes.com/maxine-hong-kingston.md) · [Tripmaster Monkey](https://www.leafyquotes.com/maxine-hong-kingston/tripmaster-monkey.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/maxine-hong-kingston/tripmaster-monkey/whats-crazy-is-the.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [revolution](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/revolution.md)

> Violence is never the only solution.

[Charles Sheffield](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-sheffield.md) · [The Spheres of Heaven](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-sheffield/the-spheres-of-heaven.md) · p. 22 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-sheffield/the-spheres-of-heaven/violence-is-never.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> We got the way we are, Jeanie, because life on Earth is one long fight for limited resources. Our bloody-mindedness all started out as food battles, three billion years ago.

[Charles Sheffield](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-sheffield.md) · [The Compleat McAndrew](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-sheffield/the-compleat-mcandrew.md) · p. 125 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-sheffield/the-compleat-mcandrew/we-got-the.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [evolution](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/evolution.md)

> Whatever Jesus was, he was a thing called a “great man.” I am not certain I like the idea of “great men”; it makes me uncomfortable. “Great men” often have had very bloody plans for mankind.

[Walter Tevis](https://www.leafyquotes.com/walter-tevis.md) · [Mockingbird](https://www.leafyquotes.com/walter-tevis/mockingbird.md) · p. 143 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/walter-tevis/mockingbird/whatever-jesus-was.md)

Topics: [power](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/power.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> When a war starts people are forced to become soldiers. They carry guns and go to the front lines and have to kill soldiers on the other side. As many as they possibly can. Nobody cares whether you like killing other people or not. It's just something you have to do. Otherwise you're the one who gets killed." Johnnie Walker pointed his index finger at Nakata's chest. "Bang!" he said. "Human history in a nutshell."

[Haruki Murakami](https://www.leafyquotes.com/haruki-murakami.md) · [Kafka on the Shore](https://www.leafyquotes.com/haruki-murakami/kafka-on-the-shore.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/haruki-murakami/kafka-on-the-shore/when-a-war.md)

Topics: [war](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/war.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [soldiers](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/soldiers.md)

> Many of history’s murderers have staked out the moral high ground, killing for love of confession or country, or in the name of social equality.

[Michael Burleigh](https://www.leafyquotes.com/michael-burleigh.md) · [The Third Reich](https://www.leafyquotes.com/michael-burleigh/the-third-reich.md) · p. 659 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/michael-burleigh/the-third-reich/many-of-historys.md)

Topics: [morality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/morality.md), [hypocrisy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/hypocrisy.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> After all, many people feel today that it is morally indefensible to hang a man, even if he has raped and killed a child, but I could not forget how easily we ourselves had taken to killing during the war. Some of the most civilized people I had known had been the most proficient.

[Wilfred Thesiger](https://www.leafyquotes.com/wilfred-thesiger.md) · [Arabian Sands](https://www.leafyquotes.com/wilfred-thesiger/arabian-sands.md) · p. 94 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/wilfred-thesiger/arabian-sands/after-all-many.md)

Topics: [war](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/war.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [civilization](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/civilization.md), [capital punishment](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/capital-punishment.md)

> We all have kindly impulses, fostered by two thousand years of Christian teaching, gentle Jesus, and love thy neighbour, but we have the killer instinct, too, the murderous impulse of the hunter...

[George MacDonald Fraser](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-macdonald-fraser.md) · [Quartered Safe Out Here: A Recollection of the War in Burma](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-macdonald-fraser/quartered-safe-out-here-a-recollection-of-the-war-in-burma.md) · p. 175 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-macdonald-fraser/quartered-safe-out-here-a-recollection-of-the-war-in-burma/we-all-have.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [Christianity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/christianity.md)

> Violence is the power of the state; imagination and non-violence the power of civil society.

[Rebecca Solnit](https://www.leafyquotes.com/rebecca-solnit.md) · [Hope In The Dark](https://www.leafyquotes.com/rebecca-solnit/hope-in-the-dark.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/rebecca-solnit/hope-in-the-dark/violence-is-the.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> Growing up in a home of abuse, you struggle with the notion that you can love a person you hate, or hate a person you love. It’s a strange feeling. You want to live in a world where someone is good or bad, where you either hate them or love them, but that’s not how people are.

[Trevor Noah](https://www.leafyquotes.com/trevor-noah.md) · [Born a Crime](https://www.leafyquotes.com/trevor-noah/born-a-crime.md) · p. 267 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/trevor-noah/born-a-crime/growing-up-in-a-home.md)

Topics: [love](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/love.md), [hatred](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/hatred.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> For what can men do when so many have grown lawless? Who can enjoy the lovely land, who can enjoy the seventy years, and the sun that pours down on the earth, when there is fear in the heart? Who can walk quietly in the shadow of the jacarandas, when their beauty is grown to danger? Who can lie peacefully abed, while the darkness holds some secret? What lovers can lie sweetly under the stars, when menace grows with the measure of their seclusion?

[Alan Paton](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alan-paton.md) · [Cry, The Beloved Country](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alan-paton/cry-the-beloved-country.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alan-paton/cry-the-beloved-country/for-what-can.md)

Topics: [fear](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/fear.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> Why are you killing me for your own benefit? I am unarmed.' 'Why, do you not live on the other side of the water? My friend, if you lived on this side, I should be a murderer, but since you live on the other side, I am a brave man and it is right.'

[Blaise Pascal](https://www.leafyquotes.com/blaise-pascal.md) · [Pensees](https://www.leafyquotes.com/blaise-pascal/pensees.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/blaise-pascal/pensees/why-are-you.md)

Topics: [war](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/war.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> We were told that violence in itself is evil, and that, whatever the cause, it is unjustified morally. By what standard of morality can the violence used by a slave to break his chains be considered the same as the violence of a slave master? By what standards can we equate the violence of blacks who have been oppressed, suppressed, depressed and repressed for four centuries with the violence of white fascists. Violence aimed at the recovery of human dignity and at equality cannot be judged by the same yardstick as violence aimed at maintenance of discrimination and oppression.

[Walter Rodney](https://www.leafyquotes.com/walter-rodney.md) · [The Groundings With My Brothers](https://www.leafyquotes.com/walter-rodney/the-groundings-with-my-brothers.md) · p. 22 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/walter-rodney/the-groundings-with-my-brothers/we-were-told.md)

Topics: [freedom](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/freedom.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [slavery](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/slavery.md)

> When we can lay down our fear and anger and choose responses other than aggression, we create the conditions for bringing out the best in us humans.

[Margaret J. Wheatley](https://www.leafyquotes.com/margaret-j-wheatley.md) · [Finding Our Way](https://www.leafyquotes.com/margaret-j-wheatley/finding-our-way.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/margaret-j-wheatley/finding-our-way/when-we-can.md)

Topics: [fear](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/fear.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [anger](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/anger.md)

> Every other method of resolving this difference of opinion has failed. We are reduced to violence, which is the last resort.

[Jane Rogers](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jane-rogers.md) · [The Testament of Jessie Lamb](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jane-rogers/the-testament-of-jessie-lamb.md) · p. 75 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jane-rogers/the-testament-of-jessie-lamb/every-other-method.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> Coercion is the tool of the desperate.

[Michael Bishop](https://www.leafyquotes.com/michael-bishop.md) · [A Funeral for the Eyes of Fire](https://www.leafyquotes.com/michael-bishop/a-funeral-for-the-eyes-of-fire.md) · p. 64 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/michael-bishop/a-funeral-for-the-eyes-of-fire/coercion-is-the.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> "Anybody can act violently - there is nothing to it; but not every person is able to destroy his enemy with words." (p222)

[Leslie Marmon Silko](https://www.leafyquotes.com/leslie-marmon-silko.md) · [Storyteller](https://www.leafyquotes.com/leslie-marmon-silko/storyteller.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/leslie-marmon-silko/storyteller/anybody-can-act.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [words](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/words.md)

> I prefer my history dead. Dead history is writ in ink, the living sort in blood.

[George RR Martin](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-rr-martin.md) · [A Feast for Crows](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-rr-martin/a-feast-for-crows.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-rr-martin/a-feast-for-crows/i-prefer-my-history.md)

Topics: [history](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/history.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> A knight's a sword with a horse. The rest, the vows and the sacred oils and the lady's favors, they're silk ribbons tied round the sword. Maybe the sword's prettier with ribbons hanging off it, but it will kill you just as dead.

[George RR Martin](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-rr-martin.md) · [A Storm of Swords](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-rr-martin/a-storm-of-swords.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-rr-martin/a-storm-of-swords/a-knights-a-sword.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [honour](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/honour.md)

> There is a savage beast in every man, and when you hand that man a sword or spear and send him forth to war, that beast stirs.

[George RR Martin](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-rr-martin.md) · [A Storm of Swords](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-rr-martin/a-storm-of-swords.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-rr-martin/a-storm-of-swords/there-is-a-savage.md)

Topics: [war](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/war.md), [human nature](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/human-nature.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> If it is the swordsmen who rule us in truth, why do we pretend kings have the power?

[George RR Martin](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-rr-martin.md) · [A Clash of Kings](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-rr-martin/a-clash-of-kings.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-rr-martin/a-clash-of-kings/if-it-is-the.md)

Topics: [power](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/power.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> Never draw your sword unless you mean to use it.

[George RR Martin](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-rr-martin.md) · [A Game of Thrones: The Illustrated Edition](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-rr-martin/a-game-of-thrones-the-illustrated-edition.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-rr-martin/a-game-of-thrones-the-illustrated-edition/never-draw-your.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> “I’ll have the boy.” ... “You’ll have no one,” Yoren said stubbornly. “There’s laws on such things.” The gold cloak drew a shortsword. “Here’s your law.” Yoren looked at the blade. “That’s no law, just a sword. Happens I got one too.”

[George RR Martin](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-rr-martin.md) · [A Clash of Kings](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-rr-martin/a-clash-of-kings.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-rr-martin/a-clash-of-kings/ill-have-the.md)

Topics: [law](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/law.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> The world preferred to forget that men who knew how to heal also knew how to kill.

[George RR Martin](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-rr-martin.md) · [A Clash of Kings](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-rr-martin/a-clash-of-kings.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-rr-martin/a-clash-of-kings/the-world-preferred.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [medicine](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/medicine.md)

> I guess I was just hoping there might be a way to do things other than the way that ends up with everyone getting killed.

[John Scalzi](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-scalzi.md) · [Zoe's Tale](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-scalzi/zoes-tale.md) · p. 302 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-scalzi/zoes-tale/i-guess-i-was.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [peace](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/peace.md)

> He was not for that moment a human being, but a frenzied creature possessed by rage, turned into an animal. All that could be seen in him was the urge to hurt, and it was, as it will always be, the most dreadful sight in the world.

[Susan Cooper](https://www.leafyquotes.com/susan-cooper.md) · [The Grey King](https://www.leafyquotes.com/susan-cooper/the-grey-king.md) · p. 55 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/susan-cooper/the-grey-king/he-was-not.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [anger](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/anger.md)

> “Are we innately aggressive?” asked Aquinas. “Was the nuclear predicament symptomatic of a more profound depravity? Nobody knows. But if this is so—and I suspect that it is—then the responsibility for what we are pleased to call our inhumanity still rests squarely in our blood-soaked hands. The killer-ape hypothesis does not specify a fate—it lays out an agenda. Beware, the fable warns. Caution. Trouble ahead. Genocidal weapons in the hands of creatures who are bored by peace.”
>
> “I think I’m going to throw up,” said Brat.
>
> “But the fable went unheeded. And the weapons, unchecked. And then, one cold Christmas season, death came to an admirable species—a species that wrote symphonies and sired Leonardo da Vinci and would have gone to the stars. It did not have to be this way. Three virtues only were needed—creative diplomacy, technical ingenuity, and moral outrage. But the greatest of these is moral outrage.”

[James Morrow](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-morrow.md) · [This Is the Way the World Ends](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-morrow/this-is-the-way-the-world-ends.md) · p. 211 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-morrow/this-is-the-way-the-world-ends/are-we-innately.md)

Topics: [war](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/war.md), [morality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/morality.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> A second slash ended the monster’s misery. So, he thought, this is how my Earthling ancestors ran their affairs. This is how lands were won, empires expanded, insurrections resisted, prisoners taken, slaves kept, heretics converted, captives made loquacious. For the first time in his life, Minnix felt himself a part of history.
>
> History, he decided, was a terrible idea.

[James Morrow](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-morrow.md) · [The Wine of Violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-morrow/the-wine-of-violence.md) · p. 223 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-morrow/the-wine-of-violence/a-second-slash.md)

Topics: [history](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/history.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> The gun is a consequence of our minds. If we were in love with peace, and had no will to destroy each other, there would be no gun.

[Justina Robson](https://www.leafyquotes.com/justina-robson.md) · [Natural History](https://www.leafyquotes.com/justina-robson/natural-history.md) · p. 291 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/justina-robson/natural-history/the-gun-is-a-consequence.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [peace](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/peace.md)

> Historically, the developement of machines had amplified man's ability to destroy.

[Edmund Cooper](https://www.leafyquotes.com/edmund-cooper.md) · [The Cloud Walker](https://www.leafyquotes.com/edmund-cooper/the-cloud-walker.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/edmund-cooper/the-cloud-walker/historically-the-developement.md)

Topics: [technology](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/technology.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> Perhaps justified violence is better than peace at any price.

[Edmund Cooper](https://www.leafyquotes.com/edmund-cooper.md) · [The Uncertain Midnight](https://www.leafyquotes.com/edmund-cooper/the-uncertain-midnight.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/edmund-cooper/the-uncertain-midnight/perhaps-justified-violence.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [peace](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/peace.md)

> Never be glad that another man has died. Not ever. [...] It never ends. Never ... ever ... be glad to kill.

[David Gemmell](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-gemmell.md) · [Quest for Lost Heroes](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-gemmell/quest-for-lost-heroes.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-gemmell/quest-for-lost-heroes/never-be-glad.md)

Topics: [death](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/death.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> As men we are all cursed by the violence in our natures. Men like the Moidart — aye, and Winterbourne — revel in that nature. We do not. We struggle to overcome it.

[David Gemmell](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-gemmell.md) · [Stormrider](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-gemmell/stormrider.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-gemmell/stormrider/as-men-we-are.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> "I don't understand how any man would wish to pursue such a away of life.Causing pain, being hurt, risking death — and for what? so that a crowd of fat-bellied merchants can see blood flow."

[David Gemmell](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-gemmell.md) · [Waylander II](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-gemmell/waylander-ii.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-gemmell/waylander-ii/i-dont-understand.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> Man is motion toward the world and toward his like. A movement of aggression, which leads to enslavement or to conquest; a movement of love, a gift of self, the ultimate stage of what by common accord is called ethical orientation. Every consciousness seems to have the capacity to demonstrate these two components, simultaneously or alternatively. The person I love will strengthen me by endorsing my assumption of my manhood, while the need to earn the admiration or the love of others will erect a value-making superstructure on my whole vision of the world.

[Frantz Fanon](https://www.leafyquotes.com/frantz-fanon.md) · [Black Skin, White Masks](https://www.leafyquotes.com/frantz-fanon/black-skin-white-masks.md) · p. 41 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/frantz-fanon/black-skin-white-masks/man-is-motion.md)

Topics: [love](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/love.md), [human nature](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/human-nature.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> They opposed brute force to reason and philosophy, and battalions of foreign mercenaries to ideas. As if ideas were to be impaled on bayonets!

[Rafael Sabatini](https://www.leafyquotes.com/rafael-sabatini.md) · [Scaramouche](https://www.leafyquotes.com/rafael-sabatini/scaramouche.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/rafael-sabatini/scaramouche/they-opposed-brute.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [ideas](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/ideas.md)

> “Organized mayhem,” Nick commented, “seems to be the chief preoccupation of intelligent species everywhere.”

[Jack Mcdevitt](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jack-mcdevitt.md) · [Chindi](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jack-mcdevitt/chindi.md) · p. 432 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jack-mcdevitt/chindi/organized-mayhem-nick.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> We build theologies around violence, elect leaders who excel at it, and in the case of so many women, preferentially mate with champions of human combat. When it’s the "right" type of aggression, we love it.

[Robert M. Sapolsky](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-m-sapolsky.md) · [Behave](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-m-sapolsky/behave.md) · p. 9 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-m-sapolsky/behave/we-build-theologies.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> Against men habituated to lawless force, violent punishment failed to bring the violence under control.

[Barbara W. Tuchman](https://www.leafyquotes.com/barbara-w-tuchman.md) · [A Distant Mirror](https://www.leafyquotes.com/barbara-w-tuchman/a-distant-mirror.md) · p. 273 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/barbara-w-tuchman/a-distant-mirror/against-men-habituated.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [punishment](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/punishment.md)

> That was how he did it. He was never just a thug. Just thugs only ever got so far. The best thugs were all psychologists.

[China Miéville](https://www.leafyquotes.com/china-mieville.md) · [Kraken](https://www.leafyquotes.com/china-mieville/kraken.md) · p. 253 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/china-mieville/kraken/that-was-how.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [manipulation](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/manipulation.md)

> “I haven’t faith in people any longer, old friend,” Nohadon said. “Put two men together, and they will find something to argue about. Gather them into groups, and one group will find reason to oppress or attack another.”

[Brandon Sanderson](https://www.leafyquotes.com/brandon-sanderson.md) · [The Way of Kings](https://www.leafyquotes.com/brandon-sanderson/the-way-of-kings.md) · p. 852 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/brandon-sanderson/the-way-of-kings/i-havent-faith.md)

Topics: [human nature](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/human-nature.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> That evening he talked about Leonardo and Michelangelo. It is impossible to place them in the human world, he said. It is impossible to comprehend how anything that attests to greatness has survived; it is obviously a result of innumerable chance events and of human incomprehension, he said. If people had understood the greatness of those works, they would have destroyed them long ago. Fortunately, people have lost their flair for greatness and only their flair for murder has persisted, though undoubtedly they have refined the latter, their flair for murder, to an art, almost to point of greatness, he said.

[Imre Kertész](https://www.leafyquotes.com/imre-kertesz.md) · [Liquidation](https://www.leafyquotes.com/imre-kertesz/liquidation.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/imre-kertesz/liquidation/that-evening-he-talked.md)

Topics: [art](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/art.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [genius](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/genius.md)

> The starting point is the recognition that throughout history, religion has been a cause of bloodshed, and it remains so today. Because religion has contributed to the world's problems, it must develop specific and practical ways to help solve those problems.

[John Danforth](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-danforth.md) · [Faith and Politics](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-danforth/faith-and-politics.md) · p. 180 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-danforth/faith-and-politics/the-starting-point.md)

Topics: [religion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/religion.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> In the Middle East, Iraq, Sudan, the former Yugoslavia and Northern Ireland, and many other places in the world, religion has been so divisive that people have killed one another, believing they were doing the work of God.

[John Danforth](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-danforth.md) · [Faith and Politics](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-danforth/faith-and-politics.md) · p. 2 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-danforth/faith-and-politics/in-the-middle.md)

Topics: [religion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/religion.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [fanaticism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/fanaticism.md)

> “I can at least comfort myself with the idea that whatever I’ve done I’ve helped to nail a lie, and I’m coming to think that lying is among the worst of all human failings. Next to actual killing. And experience has made us almost equally good at both of them.”
>
> “I have killed many people and seen many more killed on my orders,” Jogajong said. “It is what must be paid to buy what we want.”
>
> “What we’ve been told we want, by liars more skilled than ourselves.”

[John Brunner](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-brunner.md) · [Stand On Zanzibar](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-brunner/stand-on-zanzibar.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-brunner/stand-on-zanzibar/i-can-at-least.md)

Topics: [lies](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/lies.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> What’s happened to us that we take killings for granted among our children? Don’t give me that hogwash about students at college having to be treated as adults—there’s nothing adult about playing with guns and grenades!

[John Brunner](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-brunner.md) · [The Jagged Orbit](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-brunner/the-jagged-orbit.md) · p. 282 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/john-brunner/the-jagged-orbit/whats-happened-to-us-that.md)

Topics: [children](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/children.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> Why did virtually every culture reward its men for enduring violence? So it would have a cadre of people available to protect it in war.

[Warren Farrell](https://www.leafyquotes.com/warren-farrell.md) · [Women Can't Hear What Men Don't Say](https://www.leafyquotes.com/warren-farrell/women-cant-hear-what-men-dont-say.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/warren-farrell/women-cant-hear-what-men-dont-say/why-did-virtually.md)

Topics: [war](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/war.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [men](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/men.md)

> I'd be glad of a retaliation that wouldn't recoil on myself; but treachery and violence are spears pointed at both ends; they wound those who resort to them worse than their enemies.

[Emily Brontë](https://www.leafyquotes.com/emily-bronte.md) · [Wuthering Heights](https://www.leafyquotes.com/emily-bronte/wuthering-heights.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/emily-bronte/wuthering-heights/id-be-glad.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [revenge](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/revenge.md)

> If the history of humanity were the clinical case history of a single human being, the diagnosis would have to be: chronic paranoid delusions, a pathological propensity to commit murder and acts of extreme violence and cruelty against his perceived “enemies” – his own unconsciousness projected outward. Criminally insane, with a few brief lucid intervals.

[Eckhart Tolle](https://www.leafyquotes.com/eckhart-tolle.md) · [A New Earth](https://www.leafyquotes.com/eckhart-tolle/a-new-earth.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/eckhart-tolle/a-new-earth/if-the-history.md)

Topics: [history](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/history.md), [madness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/madness.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> The more unconscious individuals, groups, or nations are, the more likely it is that egoic pathology will assume the form of physical violence. Violence is a primitive but still very widespread way in which the ego attempts to assert itself, to prove itself right or another wrong. With very unconscious people, arguments can easily lead to physical violence.

[Eckhart Tolle](https://www.leafyquotes.com/eckhart-tolle.md) · [A New Earth](https://www.leafyquotes.com/eckhart-tolle/a-new-earth.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/eckhart-tolle/a-new-earth/the-more-unconscious.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [ego](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/ego.md)

> Teachings that pointed the way beyond the dysfunction of the human mind, the way out of the collective insanity, were distorted and became themselves part of the insanity.
>
> And so religions, to a large extent, became divisive rather than unifying forces. Instead of bringing about an ending of violence and hatred through a realization of the fundamental oneness of all life, they brought more violence and hatred, more divisions between people as well as between different religions and even within the same religion.

[Eckhart Tolle](https://www.leafyquotes.com/eckhart-tolle.md) · [A New Earth](https://www.leafyquotes.com/eckhart-tolle/a-new-earth.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/eckhart-tolle/a-new-earth/teachings-that-pointed.md)

Topics: [religion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/religion.md), [hatred](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/hatred.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> As boys without bonds to their fathers grow older and more desperate about their masculinity, they are in danger of forming gangs in which they strut their masculinity for one another, often overdo it, and sometimes turn to displays of fierce, macho bravado and even violence.

[Frank Pittman](https://www.leafyquotes.com/frank-pittman.md) · [Man Enough](https://www.leafyquotes.com/frank-pittman/man-enough.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/frank-pittman/man-enough/as-boys-without.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [father](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/father.md), [masculinity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/masculinity.md)

> Television is of great educational value. It teaches you while still young how to (a) kill, (b) rob, (c) embezzle, (d) shoot, (e) poison, and, generally speaking, (f) how to grow up into a Wild West outlaw or gangster by the time you leave school.

[George Mikes](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-mikes.md) · [How to be an Alien](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-mikes/how-to-be-an-alien.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-mikes/how-to-be-an-alien/television-is-of-great.md)

Topics: [humor](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/humor.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [television](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/television.md)

> The danger does not lie with individuals, however criminal they may be. Far more, it lies in the ignorance of our entire society, which confirms these people in the lies that they were obliged to believe in childhood. Teachers, attorneys, doctors, social workers, priests, and other respected representatives of society protect parents from the mistreated child's every accusation and see to it that the truth about child abuse remains concealed. Even the child protection agencies insist that this crime, and this crime alone, should go unpunished.

[Alice Miller](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alice-miller.md) · [Breaking Down The Wall Of Silence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alice-miller/breaking-down-the-wall-of-silence.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alice-miller/breaking-down-the-wall-of-silence/the-danger-does.md)

Topics: [children](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/children.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [ignorance](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/ignorance.md)

> The possibility of change depends on whether there is a sufficient number of enlightened witnesses to create a safety net for the growing consciousness of those who have been mistreated as children, so that they do not fall into the darkness of forgetfulness, from which they will later emerge as criminals or the mentally ill.

[Alice Miller](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alice-miller.md) · [Breaking Down The Wall Of Silence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alice-miller/breaking-down-the-wall-of-silence.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/alice-miller/breaking-down-the-wall-of-silence/the-possibility-of-change.md)

Topics: [change](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/change.md), [children](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/children.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> Just as I need never wonder what it is like to die, so I need never wonder what it is like to kill, Ziller, because I have done it, and it is a wasteful, graceless, worthless and hateful thing to have to do.

[Iain M. Banks](https://www.leafyquotes.com/iain-m-banks.md) · [Look To Windward](https://www.leafyquotes.com/iain-m-banks/look-to-windward.md) · p. 317 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/iain-m-banks/look-to-windward/just-as-i-need.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> All the usual rules of uprising realpolitik still apply, especially that concerning the peculiar of dialectic of dissent which—simply stated—dictates that in all but the most dedicatedly repressive hegemonies, if in a sizable population there are one hundred rebels, all of whom are then rounded up and killed, the number of rebels present at the end of the day is not zero, and not even one hundred, but two hundred or three hundred or more; an equation based on human nature which seem often to baffle the military and political mind.

[Iain M. Banks](https://www.leafyquotes.com/iain-m-banks.md) · [The State Of The Art](https://www.leafyquotes.com/iain-m-banks/the-state-of-the-art.md) · p. 168 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/iain-m-banks/the-state-of-the-art/all-the-usual.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [revolution](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/revolution.md)

> What persuades men and women to mistake each other from time to time for gods or vermin is ideology. One can understand well enough how human beings may struggle and murder for good material reasons—reasons connected, for instance, with their physical survival. It is much harder to grasp how they may come to do so in the name of something as apparently abstract as ideas. Yet ideas are what men and women live by, and will occasionally die for.

[Terry Eagleton](https://www.leafyquotes.com/terry-eagleton.md) · [Ideology](https://www.leafyquotes.com/terry-eagleton/ideology.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/terry-eagleton/ideology/what-persuades-men.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [ideas](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/ideas.md)

> The West won the world not by the superiority of its ideas or values or religion (to which few members of other civilizations were converted) but rather by its superiority in applying organized violence. Westerners often forget this fact; non-Westerners never do.

[Samuel P. Huntington](https://www.leafyquotes.com/samuel-p-huntington.md) · [The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order](https://www.leafyquotes.com/samuel-p-huntington/the-clash-of-civilizations-and-the-remaking-of-world-order.md) · p. 51 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/samuel-p-huntington/the-clash-of-civilizations-and-the-remaking-of-world-order/the-west-won.md)

Topics: [history](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/history.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [colonialism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/colonialism.md)

> What we in Iran had in common with Fitzgerald was this dream that became our obsession and took over our reality, this terrible, beautiful dream, impossible in its actualization, for which any amount of violence might be justified or forgiven.

[Azar Nafisi](https://www.leafyquotes.com/azar-nafisi.md) · [Reading Lolita in Tehran](https://www.leafyquotes.com/azar-nafisi/reading-lolita-in-tehran.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/azar-nafisi/reading-lolita-in-tehran/what-we-in-iran.md)

Topics: [dreams and aspirations](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/dreams-and-aspirations.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> Whenever we engage in consumption or production patterns which take more than we need, we are engaging in violence. (p116)

[Vandana Shiva](https://www.leafyquotes.com/vandana-shiva.md) · [Earth Democracy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/vandana-shiva/earth-democracy.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/vandana-shiva/earth-democracy/whenever-we-engage.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [consumerism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/consumerism.md)

> Do not hurt where holding is enough;
>
> do not wound where hurting is enough;
>
> do not maim where wounding is enough;
>
> and kill not where maiming is enough;
>
> the greatest warrior is he who does not need to kill.

[Stephen Donaldson](https://www.leafyquotes.com/stephen-donaldson.md) · [The Illearth War](https://www.leafyquotes.com/stephen-donaldson/the-illearth-war.md) · p. 154 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/stephen-donaldson/the-illearth-war/do-not-hurt.md)

Topics: [courage](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/courage.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> His action shows convincingly that there is no chance of expecting that this man will ever give up his practice of using force to gain his will. He can only be stopped by force. We have a clear conscience. We have done all that any country could do to establish peace.

[Harry Turtledove](https://www.leafyquotes.com/harry-turtledove.md) · [Settling Accounts: Return Engagement](https://www.leafyquotes.com/harry-turtledove/settling-accounts-return-engagement.md) · p. 8 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/harry-turtledove/settling-accounts-return-engagement/his-action-shows.md)

Topics: [war](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/war.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [peace](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/peace.md)

> You kill everybody who doesn’t want to see reason, people will get mighty thin on the ground mighty fast.

[Harry Turtledove](https://www.leafyquotes.com/harry-turtledove.md) · [American Empire: The Victorious Opposition](https://www.leafyquotes.com/harry-turtledove/american-empire-the-victorious-opposition.md) · p. 156 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/harry-turtledove/american-empire-the-victorious-opposition/you-kill-everybody.md)

Topics: [reason](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/reason.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> Somewhere, always, a child is being beaten.

[J. M. Coetzee](https://www.leafyquotes.com/j-m-coetzee.md) · [Waiting for the Barbarians](https://www.leafyquotes.com/j-m-coetzee/waiting-for-the-barbarians.md) · p. 88 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/j-m-coetzee/waiting-for-the-barbarians/somewhere-always-a-child.md)

Topics: [suffering](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/suffering.md), [children](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/children.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> If a society thinks it needs weapons, it must accept killing. If it thinks it needs violent men, it must accept rapine and assault.

[Sheri S. Tepper](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sheri-s-tepper.md) · [The Visitor](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sheri-s-tepper/the-visitor.md) · p. 283 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sheri-s-tepper/the-visitor/if-a-society.md)

Topics: [society](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/society.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [weapons](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/weapons.md)

> “There’s a lot of fathering in those legends,” Sal commented, disapprovingly. “A lot of fathering, a lot of kinging, a lot of death and violence, and very little uncleing and ordinary kindly living.”

[Sheri S. Tepper](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sheri-s-tepper.md) · [Raising The Stones](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sheri-s-tepper/raising-the-stones.md) · p. 53 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sheri-s-tepper/raising-the-stones/theres-a-lot.md)

Topics: [kindness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/kindness.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [mythology](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/mythology.md)

> Our lives are made up of many things, not just one. Many answers, not just one. It’s men that want one answer for everything. They’re always making laws, as though they could make one law that would be just in all cases. They can’t. They never have. I think men get derailed, sometime during their growing up. Instead of settling for what’s honest and real and sort of thoughtful, they go off on these quests. They go strutting and crowing, waving their weapons and shouting their battle cries. They say they’re seeking something higher, but it always seems to end in pain, doesn’t it?

[Sheri S. Tepper](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sheri-s-tepper.md) · [Raising The Stones](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sheri-s-tepper/raising-the-stones.md) · p. 468 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sheri-s-tepper/raising-the-stones/our-lives-are.md)

Topics: [law](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/law.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [men](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/men.md)

> Marjorie thought: It always comes down to something like this, doesn’t it. No matter what our consciences say, no matter how much doctrine we’ve been taught, no matter how many ethical considerations we’ve chewed and swallowed and tried to digest, it always comes down to us arming ourselves with weapons as deadly as we can manage and going out into combat...

[Sheri S. Tepper](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sheri-s-tepper.md) · [Grass](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sheri-s-tepper/grass.md) · p. 377 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sheri-s-tepper/grass/marjorie-thought-it-always.md)

Topics: [war](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/war.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [conscience](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/conscience.md)

> These chaps were not much account, really. They were no colonists; their administration was merely a squeeze, and nothing more, I suspect. They were conquerors, and for that you want only brute force — nothing to boast of, when you have it, since your strength is just an accident arising from the weakness of others. They grabbed what they could get for the sake of what was to be got. It was just robbery with violence, aggravated murder on a great scale, and men going at it blind — as is very proper for those who tackle a darkness. The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking it away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing when you look into it too much. What redeems it is the idea only. An idea at the back of it; not a sentimental pretence but an idea; and an unselfish belief in the idea — something you can set up, and bow down before, and offer a sacrifice to. . .

[Joseph Conrad](https://www.leafyquotes.com/joseph-conrad.md) · [Heart of Darkness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/joseph-conrad/heart-of-darkness.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/joseph-conrad/heart-of-darkness/these-chaps-were.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [ideas](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/ideas.md), [colonialism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/colonialism.md)

> "Ignorance has been our king. Since the death of empire, he sits unchallenged on the throne of Man. His dynasty is age-old. His right to rule is now considered legitimate. Past sages have affirmed it. They did nothing to unseat him.
>
> "Tomorrow, a new prince shall rule. Men of understanding, men of science shall stand behind his throne, and the universe will come to know his might. His name is Truth. His empire shall encompass the Earth. And the mastery of Man ever the Earth shall be renewed. A century from now, men will fly through the air in mechanical birds. Metal carriages will race along roads of man-made stone. There will be buildings of thirty stories, ships that go under the sea, machines to perform all works.
>
> "And how will this come to pass?" He paused and lowered his voice. "In the same way all change comes to pass, I fear. And I am sorry it is so. It will come to pass by violence and upheaval, by flame and by fury, for no change comes calmly over the world."

[Walter M. Miller Jr.](https://www.leafyquotes.com/walter-m-miller-jr.md) · [A Canticle for Leibowitz](https://www.leafyquotes.com/walter-m-miller-jr/a-canticle-for-leibowitz.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/walter-m-miller-jr/a-canticle-for-leibowitz/ignorance-has-been.md)

Topics: [science](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/science.md), [change](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/change.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> There are many things worth living for, there are a few things worth dying for, but there is nothing worth killing for.

[Tom Robbins](https://www.leafyquotes.com/tom-robbins.md) · [Even Cowgirls Get the Blues](https://www.leafyquotes.com/tom-robbins/even-cowgirls-get-the-blues.md) · p. 263 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/tom-robbins/even-cowgirls-get-the-blues/there-are-many.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [pacifism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/pacifism.md)

> No one deserves brutality because of what they are, their condition of birth, including being born female; and the women in this book are not asking for it—instead they are risking as much as any man risks to live, to love.

[Andrea Dworkin](https://www.leafyquotes.com/andrea-dworkin.md) · [Intercourse](https://www.leafyquotes.com/andrea-dworkin/intercourse.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/andrea-dworkin/intercourse/no-one-deserves.md)

Topics: [women](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/women.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> ... and my soldiers, they say, make idols of their swords. But does not the sword make certain? Does not the sword make plain? Does not the sword compel kindness from those who kneel in its shadow? I need no other God.

[R. Scott Bakker](https://www.leafyquotes.com/r-scott-bakker.md) · [The Warrior-Prophet](https://www.leafyquotes.com/r-scott-bakker/the-warrior-prophet.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/r-scott-bakker/the-warrior-prophet/and-my-soldiers.md)

Topics: [god](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/god.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> A blow with a word strikes deeper than a blow with a sword.

[Robert Burton](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-burton.md) · [The Anatomy of Melancholy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-burton/the-anatomy-of-melancholy.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-burton/the-anatomy-of-melancholy/a-blow-with.md)

Topics: [language](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/language.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> Having been bullied as a new boy, he bullied others when they seemed unhappy or weak, not because he was cruel but because it was the proper thing to do.

[E.M. Forster](https://www.leafyquotes.com/em-forster.md) · [Maurice](https://www.leafyquotes.com/em-forster/maurice.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/em-forster/maurice/having-been-bullied.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [conformity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/conformity.md)

> Society is not the criminal but the force which keeps crime in check. When social controls weaken, man’s innate cruelty bursts forth. The rapist is created not by bad social conditioning influences but by a failure of social conditioning. Feminists, seeking to drive power relations out of sex, have set themselves against nature. In western culture, there are no nonexploitative relationships. Everyone has killed in order to live. Nature’s universal law of creation from destruction operates in mind as in matter. As Freud, Nietzsche’s heir, asserts, identity is conflict. Each generation drives its plow over the bones of the dead.

[Camille Paglia](https://www.leafyquotes.com/camille-paglia.md) · [Sexual Personae](https://www.leafyquotes.com/camille-paglia/sexual-personae.md) · p. 2 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/camille-paglia/sexual-personae/society-is-not.md)

Topics: [society](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/society.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> Henriksen: You only use deadly force when necessary—but when it's necessary, you do use it.

[Tom Clancy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/tom-clancy.md) · [Rainbow Six](https://www.leafyquotes.com/tom-clancy/rainbow-six.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/tom-clancy/rainbow-six/henriksen-you-only.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> Violence creates nothing but violence, no matter what we call it and what the excuse. And so it goes, down all the centuries.

[Michael Moorcock](https://www.leafyquotes.com/michael-moorcock.md) · [The Steel Tsar](https://www.leafyquotes.com/michael-moorcock/the-steel-tsar.md) · p. 423 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/michael-moorcock/the-steel-tsar/violence-creates-nothing.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> “Violent men believe only in such concepts as ‘weakness’ and ‘cowardice’. They are so deeply cynical , so rooted in their own insane beliefs, that they cannot even begin to grasp the concept of ‘pacifism’.”

[Michael Moorcock](https://www.leafyquotes.com/michael-moorcock.md) · [The Land Leviathan](https://www.leafyquotes.com/michael-moorcock/the-land-leviathan.md) · p. 214 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/michael-moorcock/the-land-leviathan/violent-men-believe.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [pacifism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/pacifism.md)

> If the people at the top think that reaching for a gun will solve the problem, why shouldn’t the people at the bottom think the same?

[Michael Moorcock](https://www.leafyquotes.com/michael-moorcock.md) · [The Eternal Champion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/michael-moorcock/the-eternal-champion.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/michael-moorcock/the-eternal-champion/if-the-people.md)

Topics: [power](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/power.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> Even gentle people recognize that sometimes the decision not to kill is a decision to die.

[Orson Scott Card](https://www.leafyquotes.com/orson-scott-card.md) · [Children Of The Mind](https://www.leafyquotes.com/orson-scott-card/children-of-the-mind.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/orson-scott-card/children-of-the-mind/even-gentle-people.md)

Topics: [death](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/death.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> He had the decency to be appalled by his own brutality.

[Orson Scott Card](https://www.leafyquotes.com/orson-scott-card.md) · [Xenocide](https://www.leafyquotes.com/orson-scott-card/xenocide.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/orson-scott-card/xenocide/he-had-the.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [conscience](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/conscience.md)

> A six-year-old will not understand that “By and large it has been demonstrated that violence is counterproductive to the constructive interaction of persons and societies.” True. But a child can better understand that the rule out in the world and in the school is the same: Don’t hit people. Bad things happen. The child must understand this rule is connected to the first rule: People won’t share or play fair if you hit them.

[Robert Fulghum](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-fulghum.md) · [All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-fulghum/all-i-really-need-to-know-i-learned-in-kindergarten.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-fulghum/all-i-really-need-to-know-i-learned-in-kindergarten/a-six-year-old-will.md)

Topics: [children](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/children.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> What's more American than violence?" Hayduke wanted to know. "Violence, it's as American as pizza pie.

[Edward Abbey](https://www.leafyquotes.com/edward-abbey.md) · [The Monkey Wrench Gang](https://www.leafyquotes.com/edward-abbey/the-monkey-wrench-gang.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/edward-abbey/the-monkey-wrench-gang/whats-more-american.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [America](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/america.md)

> From their French masters, [the slaves] had known rape, torture, degradation, and, at the slightest provocation, death. They returned in kind. For two centuries the higher civilization had shown them that power was used for wreaking your will on those whom you controlled. Now that they held power they did as they had been taught.

[C L R James](https://www.leafyquotes.com/c-l-r-james.md) · [The Black Jacobins](https://www.leafyquotes.com/c-l-r-james/the-black-jacobins.md) · p. 88 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/c-l-r-james/the-black-jacobins/from-their-french.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [slavery](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/slavery.md)

> Nobody, so far as I can see, is making use of those elements in the air which give direction and motivation to our lives. Only the killers seem to be extracting from life some satisfactory measure of what they are putting into it. The age demands violence, but we are getting only abortive explosions. Revolutions are nipped in the bud or else succeed too quickly. Passion is quickly exhausted. Men fall back on ideas, comme d'habitude. Nothing is proposed that can last more than twenty four hours. We are living a million lives in the space of a generation. In the study of entomology, or deep sea life, or cellular activity, we derive more...

[Henry Miller](https://www.leafyquotes.com/henry-miller.md) · [Tropic of Cancer](https://www.leafyquotes.com/henry-miller/tropic-of-cancer.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/henry-miller/tropic-of-cancer/nobody-so-far.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> As I refuse violence, I refuse to serve the violent.

[Ursula K. Le Guin](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ursula-k-le-guin.md) · [The Eye of the Heron](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ursula-k-le-guin/the-eye-of-the-heron.md) · p. 13 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ursula-k-le-guin/the-eye-of-the-heron/as-i-refuse.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [pacifism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/pacifism.md)

> “Sometimes a god comes,” Selver said. “He brings a new way to do a thing, or a new thing to be done. A new kind of singing, or a new kind of death. He brings this across the bridge between the dream-time and the world-time. When he has done this, it is done. You cannot take things that exist in the world and try to drive them back into the dream, to hold them inside the dream with walls and pretenses. That is insanity. What is, is. There is no use pretending, now, that we do not know how to kill one another.”

[Ursula K. Le Guin](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ursula-k-le-guin.md) · [The Word for World is Forest](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ursula-k-le-guin/the-word-for-world-is-forest.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ursula-k-le-guin/the-word-for-world-is-forest/sometimes-a-god.md)

Topics: [change](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/change.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> You either approve of violence or you don't, and nothing on earth is more violent or extreme than the meat industry.

[Morrissey](https://www.leafyquotes.com/morrissey.md) · [Autobiography](https://www.leafyquotes.com/morrissey/autobiography.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/morrissey/autobiography/you-either-approve.md)

Topics: [animals](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/animals.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> We cling in our public life to a brutal hypocrisy. In our century of almost universal violence of humans against fellow humans, and against our natural and cultural commonwealth, hypocrisy has been inescapable because our opposition to violence has been selective or merely fashionable. Some of us who approve of our monstrous military budget and our peacekeeping wars nonetheless deplore “domestic violence” and think that our society can be pacified by “gun control.” Some of us are against capital punishment but for abortion. Some of us are against abortion but for capital punishment.

[Wendell Berry](https://www.leafyquotes.com/wendell-berry.md) · [Citizenship Papers](https://www.leafyquotes.com/wendell-berry/citizenship-papers.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/wendell-berry/citizenship-papers/we-cling-in-our.md)

Topics: [hypocrisy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/hypocrisy.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> We are disposed, somewhat by culture and somewhat by nature, to solve our problems by violence, and even to enjoy doing so. And yet by now all of us must at least have suspected that our right to live, to be free, and to be at peace is not guaranteed by any act of violence. It can be guaranteed only by our willingness that all other persons should live, be free, and be at peace — and by our willingness to use or give our own lives to make that possible.

[Wendell Berry](https://www.leafyquotes.com/wendell-berry.md) · [Citizenship Papers](https://www.leafyquotes.com/wendell-berry/citizenship-papers.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/wendell-berry/citizenship-papers/we-are-disposed.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [peace](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/peace.md)

> Violence breeds violence. Acts of violence committed in “justice” or in affirmation of “rights” or in defense of “peace” do not end violence. They prepare and justify its continuation.

[Wendell Berry](https://www.leafyquotes.com/wendell-berry.md) · [Citizenship Papers](https://www.leafyquotes.com/wendell-berry/citizenship-papers.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/wendell-berry/citizenship-papers/violence-breeds-violence.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> We have become blind to the alternatives to violence. This involves us in a sort of official madness, in which, while following what seems to be a perfect logic of self-defense and deterrence, we commit one absurdity after another: We seek to preserve peace by fighting a war, or to advance freedom by subsidizing dictatorships, or to "win the hearts and minds of the people" by poisoning their crops and burning their villages and confining them in concentration camps; we seek to uphold the "truth" of our cause with lies, or to answer conscientious dissent with threats and slurs and intimidations. … I have come to the realization that I can no longer imagine a war that I would believe to be either useful or necessary. I would be against any war.

[Wendell Berry](https://www.leafyquotes.com/wendell-berry.md) · [The Long-Legged House](https://www.leafyquotes.com/wendell-berry/the-long-legged-house.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/wendell-berry/the-long-legged-house/we-have-become.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [pacifism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/pacifism.md)

> If I solve my dispute with my neighbor by killing him, I have certainly solved the immediate dispute. If my neighbor was a scoundrel, then the world is no doubt better for his absence. But in killing my neighbor, though he may have been a terrible man who did not deserve to live, I have made myself a killer — and the life of my next neighbor is in greater peril than the life of the last. In making myself a killer I have destroyed the possibility of neighborhood.

[Wendell Berry](https://www.leafyquotes.com/wendell-berry.md) · [The Long-Legged House](https://www.leafyquotes.com/wendell-berry/the-long-legged-house.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/wendell-berry/the-long-legged-house/if-i-solve.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [crime](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/crime.md)

> "No one abhors violence more than I do. Still, you can't make an omelet without breaking eggs—"
>
> "Hell and damnation!"
>
> "Why, Pater!"
>
> "Don't call me 'Pater'! If I ever hear that 'can't make an omelet' phrase again, I'll start doing a little murder myself! It's used to justify every atrocity under every despotism, Fascist or Nazi or Communist or American labor war. Omelet! Eggs! By God, sir, men's souls and blood are not eggshells for tyrants to break!"

[Sinclair Lewis](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sinclair-lewis.md) · [It Can't Happen Here](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sinclair-lewis/it-cant-happen-here.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sinclair-lewis/it-cant-happen-here/no-one-abhors.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [tyranny](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/tyranny.md)

> "Force and mind are opposites; morality ends where a gun begins."

[Ayn Rand](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand.md) · [Atlas Shrugged](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand/atlas-shrugged.md) · p. 1023 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand/atlas-shrugged/force-and-mind.md)

Topics: [reason](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/reason.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> "In a moral society, these are the criminals, and the statutes are written to protect you against them. But when a society establishes criminals-by-right and looters-by-law, men who use force to seize the wealth of disarmed victims—then money becomes its creators' avenger. Such looters believe it safe to rob defenseless men, once they've passed a law to disarm them. But their loot becomes the magnet for other looters, who get it from them as they got it. Then the race goes, not to the ablest at production, but to those most ruthless at brutality. When force is the standard, the murderer wins over the pickpocket. And then that society vanishes, in a spread of ruins and slaughter."

[Ayn Rand](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand.md) · [Atlas Shrugged](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand/atlas-shrugged.md) · p. 413 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand/atlas-shrugged/in-a-moral.md)

Topics: [law](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/law.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> In our truly remarkable an unexampled civil peace, where there are rarely fist fights; where no one is born, is gravely ill, or dies; where meat is eaten but no one sees an animal slaughtered; where scores of millions of cars, trains, elevators, and airplanes go their scheduled way and there is rarely a crash; where an immense production proceeds in orderly efficiency and the shelves are duly clears—and nevertheless none of this come to joy or tragic grief or any other final good—it is not surprising if there are explosions.

[Paul Goodman](https://www.leafyquotes.com/paul-goodman.md) · [Growing Up Absurd](https://www.leafyquotes.com/paul-goodman/growing-up-absurd.md) · p. 209 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/paul-goodman/growing-up-absurd/in-our-truly.md)

Topics: [society](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/society.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> War is an act of violence pushed to its utmost bounds.

[Carl von Clausewitz](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz.md) · [On War](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz/on-war.md) · p. 56 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-von-clausewitz/on-war/war-is-an-act.md)

Topics: [war](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/war.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> The state monopolizes violence by calling its critics “violent”. [...] Hence, we should be wary about those who claim that violence is necessary to curb or check violence; those who praise the forces of law, including the police and the prisons, as the final arbiters. To oppose violence is to understand that violence does not always take the form of the blow.

[Judith Butler](https://www.leafyquotes.com/judith-butler.md) · [The Force of Nonviolence: An Ethico-Political Bind](https://www.leafyquotes.com/judith-butler/the-force-of-nonviolence-an-ethico-political-bind.md) · p. 63 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/judith-butler/the-force-of-nonviolence-an-ethico-political-bind/the-state-monopolizes.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [the state](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/the-state.md)

> Violence as a tool is already operating in the world before anyone takes it up: that fact alone neither justifies nor discounts the use of the tool. What seems most important, however, is that the tool is already part of a practice, presupposing a world conducive to its use; that the use of the tool builds or rebuilds a specific kind of world, activating a sedimented legacy of use. When any of us commit acts of violence, we are, in and through those acts, building a more violent world.

[Judith Butler](https://www.leafyquotes.com/judith-butler.md) · [The Force of Nonviolence: An Ethico-Political Bind](https://www.leafyquotes.com/judith-butler/the-force-of-nonviolence-an-ethico-political-bind.md) · p. 19 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/judith-butler/the-force-of-nonviolence-an-ethico-political-bind/violence-as-a-tool.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> Quite apart from assiduous efforts to restrict the use of violence as means rather than an end, the actualization of violence as a means can inadvertently become its own end, producing new violence, producing violence anew, reiterating the license, and licensing further violence. Violence does not exhaust itself in the realization of a just end; rather, it renews itself in directions that exceed both deliberate intention and instrumental schemes. In other words, by acting as if the use of violence can be a means to achieve a nonviolent end, one imagines that the practice of violence does not in the act posit violence as its own end. The technē is undermined by the praxis, and the use of violence only makes the world into a more violent place, by bringing more violence into the world.

[Judith Butler](https://www.leafyquotes.com/judith-butler.md) · [The Force of Nonviolence: An Ethico-Political Bind](https://www.leafyquotes.com/judith-butler/the-force-of-nonviolence-an-ethico-political-bind.md) · p. 20 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/judith-butler/the-force-of-nonviolence-an-ethico-political-bind/quite-apart-from.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> It is funny that men who are supposed to be scientific cannot get themselves to realize the basic principle of physics, that action and reaction are equal and opposite, that when you persecute people you always rouse them to be strong and stronger.

[Gertrude Stein](https://www.leafyquotes.com/gertrude-stein.md) · [Wars I Have Seen](https://www.leafyquotes.com/gertrude-stein/wars-i-have-seen.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/gertrude-stein/wars-i-have-seen/it-is-funny.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> When the world presents as a force field of violence, the task of nonviolence is to find ways of living and acting in that world such that violence is checked or ameliorated, or its direction turned, precisely at moments when it seems to saturate that world and offer no way out.

[Judith Butler](https://www.leafyquotes.com/judith-butler.md) · [The Force of Nonviolence: An Ethico-Political Bind](https://www.leafyquotes.com/judith-butler/the-force-of-nonviolence-an-ethico-political-bind.md) · p. 10 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/judith-butler/the-force-of-nonviolence-an-ethico-political-bind/when-the-world.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [pacifism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/pacifism.md)

> "But there are two things that different kinds of people believe that are the worst, most dangerous, wrongest of all. Some people believe that the best way to solve a problem is with violence; they beat up or kill anyone who disagrees with them."
>
> … "But what's the other worst kind of bad thinking?"
>
> "Pacifism," she said. "That's just the opposite of the first kind of bad thinking. Pacificists believe that you should never lift a hand against another human being, no matter what he has done or what you know he's going to do." … "Some pacificists are cowards in disguise, but some really believe it's right to permit the murder of an innocent person rather than kill to stop it. They're wrong because by not fighting evil, they've become part of it."

[Dean Koontz](https://www.leafyquotes.com/dean-koontz.md) · [Lightning](https://www.leafyquotes.com/dean-koontz/lightning.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/dean-koontz/lightning/but-there-are.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [pacifism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/pacifism.md)

> "The rules!" shouted Ralph, "you're breaking the rules!"
>
> "Who cares?"
>
> Ralph summoned his wits.
>
> "Because the rules are the only thing we've got!"
>
> But Jack was shouting against him.
>
> "Bollocks to the rules! We're strong — we hunt! If there's a beast, we'll hunt it down! We'll close in and beat and beat and beat — !"

[William Golding](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-golding.md) · [Lord of the Flies](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-golding/lord-of-the-flies.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-golding/lord-of-the-flies/the-rules-shouted.md)

Topics: [law](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/law.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> If we wish to stop the atrocities, we will need to understand and change the social and economic conditions that cause them.

[Derrick Jensen](https://www.leafyquotes.com/derrick-jensen.md) · [The Culture of Make Believe](https://www.leafyquotes.com/derrick-jensen/the-culture-of-make-believe.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/derrick-jensen/the-culture-of-make-believe/if-we-wish.md)

Topics: [society](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/society.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> On the contrary, violence is often caused by a surfeit of morality and justice, at least as they are conceived in the minds of the perpetrators.

[Steven Pinker](https://www.leafyquotes.com/steven-pinker.md) · [The Better Angels of Our Nature](https://www.leafyquotes.com/steven-pinker/the-better-angels-of-our-nature.md) · p. 139 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/steven-pinker/the-better-angels-of-our-nature/on-the-contrary.md)

Topics: [morality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/morality.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> [I]n the past two decades anthropologists have gathered data on life and death in pre-state societies rather than accepting the warm and fuzzy stereotypes. What did they find? In a nutshell: Hobbes was right, Rousseau was wrong.

[Steven Pinker](https://www.leafyquotes.com/steven-pinker.md) · [The Blank Slate](https://www.leafyquotes.com/steven-pinker/the-blank-slate.md) · p. 95 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/steven-pinker/the-blank-slate/i-n-the-past.md)

Topics: [history](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/history.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> We live in a universe ruled by very few laws, but the redoubling of violence by violence is one of the main ones.

[Kim Stanley Robinson](https://www.leafyquotes.com/kim-stanley-robinson.md) · [The Years of Rice and Salt](https://www.leafyquotes.com/kim-stanley-robinson/the-years-of-rice-and-salt.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/kim-stanley-robinson/the-years-of-rice-and-salt/we-live-in-a-universe.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> Revolution has to be rethought. Look, even when revolutions have been successful, they have caused so much destruction and hatred that there is always some kind of horrible backlash. It’s inherent in the method. If you choose violence, then you create enemies who will resist you forever. And ruthless men become your revolutionary leaders, so when the war is over they’re in power, and likely to be as bad as what they replaced.

[Kim Stanley Robinson](https://www.leafyquotes.com/kim-stanley-robinson.md) · [Green Mars](https://www.leafyquotes.com/kim-stanley-robinson/green-mars.md) · p. 359 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/kim-stanley-robinson/green-mars/revolution-has-to-be-rethought.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [revolution](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/revolution.md)

> Friday, don’t despise assassins indiscriminately. As with any tool, merit or demerit lies in how it is used.

[Robert A. Heinlein](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-a-heinlein.md) · [Friday](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-a-heinlein/friday.md) · p. 37 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-a-heinlein/friday/friday-dont-despise.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> A brute kills for pleasure. A fool kills from hate.

[Robert A. Heinlein](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-a-heinlein.md) · [Time Enough For Love](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-a-heinlein/time-enough-for-love.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-a-heinlein/time-enough-for-love/a-brute-kills.md)

Topics: [hatred](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/hatred.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> " … I was not making fun of you personally; I was heaping scorn on an inexcusably silly idea — a practice I shall always follow. Anyone who clings to the historically untrue and thoroughly immoral doctrine that violence never settles anything I would advise to conjure up the ghosts of Napoleon Bonaparte and the Duke of Wellington and let them debate it. The ghost of Hitler could referee and the jury might well be the Dodo, the Great Auk, and the Passenger Pigeon. Violence, naked force, has settled more issues in history than has any other factor, and the contrary opinion is wishful thinking at its worst. Breeds that forget this basic truth have always paid for it with their lives and their freedoms."
>
> He sighed. "Another year, another class — and for me another failure. One can lead a child to knowledge but one cannot make him think." Suddenly he pointed his stump at me. "You. What is the moral difference, if any, between the citizen and the civilian?"
>
> "The difference, I said carefully, "lies in the field of civic virtue. A citizen accepts personal responsibility for the safety of the body politic of which he is a member, defending it, if need be, with his life. The civilian does not."
>
> "The exact words of the book," he said scornfully. "But do you understand it? Do you believe it?"

[Robert A. Heinlein](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-a-heinlein.md) · [Starship Troopers](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-a-heinlein/starship-troopers.md) · p. 26 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-a-heinlein/starship-troopers/i-was-not.md)

Topics: [history](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/history.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> "My mother said violence never solves anything." "So?" Mr. Dubois looked at her bleakly. "I'm sure the city fathers of Carthage would be glad to know that."

[Robert A. Heinlein](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-a-heinlein.md) · [Starship Troopers](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-a-heinlein/starship-troopers.md) · p. 25 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-a-heinlein/starship-troopers/my-mother-said.md)

Topics: [humor](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/humor.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> The element of truth behind all this, which people are so ready to disavow, is that men are not gentle creatures who want to be loved, and who at the most can defend themselves if they are attacked; they are, on the contrary, creatures among whose instinctual endowments is to be reckoned a powerful share of aggressiveness. As a result, their neighbor is for them not only a potential helper or sexual object, but also someone who tempts them to satisfy their aggressiveness on him, to exploit his capacity for work without compensation, to use him sexually without his consent, to seize his possessions, to humiliate him, to cause him pain, to torture and to kill him. Homo homini lupus. Who, in the face of all his experience of life and of history, will have the courage to dispute this assertion?

[Sigmund Freud](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sigmund-freud.md) · [Civilization and its Discontents](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sigmund-freud/civilization-and-its-discontents.md) · p. 68 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sigmund-freud/civilization-and-its-discontents/the-element-of-truth.md)

Topics: [human nature](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/human-nature.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> I cannot inquire into whether the abolition of private property is expedient or advantageous. But I am able to recognize that the psychological premisses on which the [system]] is based are an untenable illusion. In abolishing private property we deprive the human love of aggression of one of its instruments, certainly a strong one, though certainly not the strongest, but we have not altered the differences in power and influence which are misused by aggressiveness, nor have we altered anything in its nature. Aggressiveness was not created by property. It reigned almost without limit in primitive times, when property was still very scanty, and it already shows itself in the nursery almost before property has given up its primal, anal form; it forms the basis of every relation of affection and love among people (with the single exception, perhaps, of the mother's relations to her male child).

[Sigmund Freud](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sigmund-freud.md) · [Civilization and its Discontents](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sigmund-freud/civilization-and-its-discontents.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sigmund-freud/civilization-and-its-discontents/i-cannot-inquire.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [private property](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/private-property.md)

> The dictatorship is necessary because it is a case, not of partial changes, but of the very existence of the bourgeoisie. No agreement is possible on this ground. Only force can be the deciding factor.

[Leon Trotsky](https://www.leafyquotes.com/leon-trotsky.md) · [Terrorism and Communism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/leon-trotsky/terrorism-and-communism.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/leon-trotsky/terrorism-and-communism/the-dictatorship-is-necessary.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [totalitarianism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/totalitarianism.md)

> The streets of every city in America are filled with men who would pay all the money they could lay their hands on to be transformed, even for a day, into hairy, hard-fisted brutes who walk all over cops, extort drinks from terrified bartenders and roar out of town on big motorcycles after raping the banker's daughter.

[Hunter S. Thompson](https://www.leafyquotes.com/hunter-s-thompson.md) · [Hell's Angels](https://www.leafyquotes.com/hunter-s-thompson/hells-angels.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/hunter-s-thompson/hells-angels/the-streets-of-every.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [masculinity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/masculinity.md)

> Jaro, my dear, there is no mystery about violence. It is the reflexive act of brutes, boors and moral defectives.

[Jack Vance](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jack-vance.md) · [Night Lamp](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jack-vance/night-lamp.md) · p. 37 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jack-vance/night-lamp/jaro-my-dear.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> A Covenant not to defend my selfe from force, by force, is always voyd.

[Thomas Hobbes](https://www.leafyquotes.com/thomas-hobbes.md) · [Leviathan](https://www.leafyquotes.com/thomas-hobbes/leviathan.md) · p. 69 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/thomas-hobbes/leviathan/a-covenant-not.md)

Topics: [law](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/law.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> "Any man who would change the World in a significant way must have showmanship, a genial willingness to shed other people's blood, and a plausible new religion to introduce during the brief period of repentance and horror that usually follows bloodshed.
>
> "Every failure of Earthling leadership has been traceable to a lack on the part of the leader," says Rumfoord, "of at least one of these three things."

[Kurt Vonnegut](https://www.leafyquotes.com/kurt-vonnegut.md) · [The Sirens of Titan](https://www.leafyquotes.com/kurt-vonnegut/the-sirens-of-titan.md) · p. 174 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/kurt-vonnegut/the-sirens-of-titan/any-man-who.md)

Topics: [religion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/religion.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [leadership](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/leadership.md)

> [I]n all mammalian species that have so far been carefully studied, the rate at which their members engage in the killing of conspecifics is several thousand times greater than the highest homicide rate in any American city.

[Daniel Dennett](https://www.leafyquotes.com/daniel-dennett.md) · [Darwin's Dangerous Idea](https://www.leafyquotes.com/daniel-dennett/darwins-dangerous-idea.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/daniel-dennett/darwins-dangerous-idea/i-n-all-mammalian.md)

Topics: [animals](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/animals.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> You know, if you hurt people enough, eventually they'll all call you whatever you want. Maker. King. Captain. Boss. Master. Holy One. Pick your title, you can beat people into calling you that. But you don't change yourself a bit. All you do is change the meanings of those words, so they all mean the same thing: Bully.

[Orson Scott Card](https://www.leafyquotes.com/orson-scott-card.md) · [Alvin Journeyman](https://www.leafyquotes.com/orson-scott-card/alvin-journeyman.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/orson-scott-card/alvin-journeyman/you-know-if-you.md)

Topics: [power](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/power.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [words](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/words.md)

> A duel is just two murderers who agree to take turns trying to kill each other.

[Orson Scott Card](https://www.leafyquotes.com/orson-scott-card.md) · [Seventh Son](https://www.leafyquotes.com/orson-scott-card/seventh-son.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/orson-scott-card/seventh-son/a-duel-is-just.md)

Topics: [humor](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/humor.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> Wouldn't it have been better to change humanity so it no longer desired to destroy itself?

[Orson Scott Card](https://www.leafyquotes.com/orson-scott-card.md) · [The Memory Of Earth](https://www.leafyquotes.com/orson-scott-card/the-memory-of-earth.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/orson-scott-card/the-memory-of-earth/wouldnt-it-have.md)

Topics: [human nature](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/human-nature.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> Not that human beings need to be violent in order to be human, but if you ever lose the will to control, the will to destroy, then it must be because you choose to lose it. My role was not to force you to be gentle and kind; it was to keep you alive while you decided for yourselves what kind of people you wanted to be.

[Orson Scott Card](https://www.leafyquotes.com/orson-scott-card.md) · [The Memory Of Earth](https://www.leafyquotes.com/orson-scott-card/the-memory-of-earth.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/orson-scott-card/the-memory-of-earth/not-that-human.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [free will](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/free-will.md)

> Studies on testosterone … all point to a simple conclusion. I don't mean to be crude, but it appears that testosterone basically has two, and only two, major drives: fuck it or kill it.And males are saddled with this biological nightmare almost from day one, a nightmare women can barely imagine (except when they are given testosterone injections for medical purposes, which drives them nuts. As one woman put it, "I can't stop thinking about sex. Please, can't you make this stop?").

[Ken Wilber](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ken-wilber.md) · [A Brief History of Everything](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ken-wilber/a-brief-history-of-everything.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ken-wilber/a-brief-history-of-everything/studies-on-testosterone.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [sex](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/sex.md), [masculinity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/masculinity.md)

> Never initiate the use of force against another man. Never let his use of force against you remain unanswered by force.

[Ayn Rand](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand.md) · [The Journals of Ayn Rand](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand/the-journals-of-ayn-rand.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand/the-journals-of-ayn-rand/never-initiate-the.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> There are only two means by which men can deal with one another: guns or logic. Force or persuasion. Those who know that they cannot win by means of logic, have always resorted to guns.

[Ayn Rand](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand.md) · [Philosophy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand/philosophy.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand/philosophy/there-are-only.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [logic](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/logic.md)

> An attempt to achieve the good by force is like an attempt to provide a man with a picture gallery at the price of cutting out his eyes.

[Ayn Rand](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand.md) · [Capitalism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand/capitalism.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand/capitalism/an-attempt-to-achieve.md)

Topics: [kindness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/kindness.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> Statism is a system of institutionalized violence and perpetual civil war. It leaves men no choice but to fight to seize political power -- to rob or be robbed, to kill or be killed. ... Statism survives by looting; a free country survives by production.

[Ayn Rand](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand.md) · [Capitalism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand/capitalism.md) · p. 36 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand/capitalism/statism-is-a-system.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [the state](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/the-state.md)

> All the reasons which made the initiation of physical force evil, make the retaliatory use of physical force a moral imperative.

[Ayn Rand](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand.md) · [The Virtue of Selfishness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand/the-virtue-of-selfishness.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand/the-virtue-of-selfishness/all-the-reasons.md)

Topics: [morality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/morality.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> Man's rights can be violated only by the use of physical force. It is only by means of physical force that one man can deprive another of his life, or enslave him, or rob him, or prevent him from pursuing his own goals, or compel him to act against his own rational judgment.

[Ayn Rand](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand.md) · [The Virtue of Selfishness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand/the-virtue-of-selfishness.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand/the-virtue-of-selfishness/mans-rights-can.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [human rights](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/human-rights.md)

> Man is the only living species that has the power to act as his own destroyer—and that is the way he has acted through most of his history.

[Ayn Rand](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand.md) · [The Virtue of Selfishness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand/the-virtue-of-selfishness.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand/the-virtue-of-selfishness/man-is-the.md)

Topics: [human nature](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/human-nature.md), [history](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/history.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> The men who attempt to survive, not by means of reason, but by means of force, are attempting to survive by the method of animals.

[Ayn Rand](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand.md) · [The Virtue of Selfishness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand/the-virtue-of-selfishness.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand/the-virtue-of-selfishness/the-men-who.md)

Topics: [reason](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/reason.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> With the passage of time, whatever a man had done, whether for good or evil, with the man's bodily organs, left the man's parish unaffected: only a man's thoughts and dreams could outlive him, in any serious sense, and these might survive with perhaps augmenting influence: so that Kennaston had come to think artistic creation in words — since marble and canvas inevitably perished — was the one, possibly, worth-while employment of human life. But here was a crude corporal deed which bluntly destroyed thoughts, and annihilated dreams by wholesale. To Kennaston this seemed the one real tragedy that could be staged on earth....

[James Branch Cabell](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-branch-cabell.md) · [The Cream of the Jest](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-branch-cabell/the-cream-of-the-jest.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/james-branch-cabell/the-cream-of-the-jest/with-the-passage.md)

Topics: [art](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/art.md), [writing](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/writing.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> Violence does, in truth, recoil upon the violent, and the schemer falls into the pit which he digs for another.

[Arthur Conan Doyle](https://www.leafyquotes.com/arthur-conan-doyle.md) · [The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes](https://www.leafyquotes.com/arthur-conan-doyle/the-adventures-of-sherlock-holmes.md) · p. 272 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/arthur-conan-doyle/the-adventures-of-sherlock-holmes/violence-does-in-truth.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [revenge](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/revenge.md)

> Progress and Nationalism—those were the two great ideas He put into their heads. Progress—the theory that you can get something for nothing; the theory that you can gain in one field without paying for your gain in another; the theory that you alone understand the meaning of history; the theory that you know what’s going to happen fifty years from now; the theory that, in the teeth of all experience, you can foresee all the consequences of your present actions; the theory that Utopia lies just ahead and that, since ideal ends justify the most abominable means, it is your privilege and duty to rob, swindle, torture, enslave and murder all those who, in your opinion (which is, by definition, infallible), obstruct the onward march to the earthly paradise. Remember that phrase of Karl Marx’s: ‘Force is the midwife of Progress.’ He might have added—but of course Belial didn’t want to let the cat out of the bag at that early stage of the proceedings—that Progress is the midwife of Force. Doubly the midwife, for the fact of technological progress provides people with the instruments of ever more indiscriminate destruction, while the myth of political and moral progress serves as the excuse for using those means to the very limit. I tell you, my dear sir, an undevout historian is mad. The longer you study modern history, the more evidence you find of Belial’s Guiding Hand.

[Aldous Huxley](https://www.leafyquotes.com/aldous-huxley.md) · [Ape and Essence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/aldous-huxley/ape-and-essence.md) · p. 94 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/aldous-huxley/ape-and-essence/progress-and-nationalism-those.md)

Topics: [history](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/history.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [nationalism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/nationalism.md)

> "Liberalism, of course, was dead of anthrax, but all the same you couldn't do things by force."

[Aldous Huxley](https://www.leafyquotes.com/aldous-huxley.md) · [Brave New World](https://www.leafyquotes.com/aldous-huxley/brave-new-world.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/aldous-huxley/brave-new-world/liberalism-of-course.md)

Topics: [power](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/power.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> The world of today has achieved much, but for all its declared love for humanity, it has based itself far more on hatred and violence than on the virtues that make one human. War is the negation of truth and humanity. War may be unavoidable sometimes, but its progeny are terrible to contemplate. Not mere killing, for man must die, but the deliberate and persistent propagation of hatred and falsehood, which gradually become the normal habits of the people. It is dangerous and harmful to be guided in our life's course by hatreds and aversions, for they are wasteful of energy and limit and twist the mind and prevent it from perceiving truth.

[Jawaharlal Nehru](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jawaharlal-nehru.md) · [The Discovery Of India](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jawaharlal-nehru/the-discovery-of-india.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jawaharlal-nehru/the-discovery-of-india/the-world-of-today.md)

Topics: [war](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/war.md), [hatred](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/hatred.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> One does not persuade a butterfly to light on one’s hand by brandishing a sword.

[Robert A. Heinlein](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-a-heinlein.md) · [Job: A Comedy of Justice](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-a-heinlein/job-a-comedy-of-justice.md) · p. 145 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/robert-a-heinlein/job-a-comedy-of-justice/one-does-not.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [patience](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/patience.md)

> Mass-murderers are simply people who have had ENOUGH.

[Quentin Crisp](https://www.leafyquotes.com/quentin-crisp.md) · [The Naked Civil Servant](https://www.leafyquotes.com/quentin-crisp/the-naked-civil-servant.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/quentin-crisp/the-naked-civil-servant/mass-murderers-are-simply.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> To save one life, Mr. Tagomi had to take two. The logical, balanced mind cannot make sense of that. A kindly man like Mr. Tagomi could be driven insane by the implications of such reality.

[Philip K. Dick](https://www.leafyquotes.com/philip-k-dick.md) · [The Man in the High Castle](https://www.leafyquotes.com/philip-k-dick/the-man-in-the-high-castle.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/philip-k-dick/the-man-in-the-high-castle/to-save-one.md)

Topics: [madness](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/madness.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> All governments suffer a recurring problem: Power attracts pathological personalities. It is not that power corrupts but that it is magnetic to the corruptible. Such people have a tendency to become drunk on violence, a condition to which they are quickly addicted.

[Frank Herbert](https://www.leafyquotes.com/frank-herbert.md) · [Chapterhouse: Dune](https://www.leafyquotes.com/frank-herbert/chapterhouse-dune.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/frank-herbert/chapterhouse-dune/all-governments-suffer.md)

Topics: [power](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/power.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [corruption](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/corruption.md)

> Atrocity is recognized as such by victim and perpetrator alike, by all who learn about it at whatever remove. Atrocity has no excuses, no mitigating argument. Atrocity never balances or rectifies the past. Atrocity merely arms the future for more atrocity. It is self-perpetuating upon itself — a barbarous form of incest. Whoever commits atrocity also commits those future atrocities thus bred.

[Frank Herbert](https://www.leafyquotes.com/frank-herbert.md) · [Children Of Dune](https://www.leafyquotes.com/frank-herbert/children-of-dune.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/frank-herbert/children-of-dune/atrocity-is-recognized.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [cruelty](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/cruelty.md)

> The convoluted wording of legalisms grew up around the necessity to hide from ourselves the violence we intend toward each other. Between depriving a man of one hour from his life and depriving him of his life there exists only a difference of degree. You have done violence to him, consumed his energy. Elaborate euphemisms may conceal your intent to kill, but behind any use of power over another the ultimate assumption remains: "I feed on your energy."

[Frank Herbert](https://www.leafyquotes.com/frank-herbert.md) · [Dune Messiah](https://www.leafyquotes.com/frank-herbert/dune-messiah.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/frank-herbert/dune-messiah/the-convoluted-wording.md)

Topics: [power](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/power.md), [law](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/law.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> The army fosters technology, and technology breeds anarchy because it distributes the terrible machines of destruction. Even before this Jihad, one man alone could create and apply enough violence to ravage an entire planet. It happened! Why do you think the computer became anathema?

[Frank Herbert](https://www.leafyquotes.com/frank-herbert.md) · [Dune](https://www.leafyquotes.com/frank-herbert/dune.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/frank-herbert/dune/the-army-fosters.md)

Topics: [war](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/war.md), [technology](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/technology.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> Anger is one thing, violence another.

[Frank Herbert](https://www.leafyquotes.com/frank-herbert.md) · [Dune](https://www.leafyquotes.com/frank-herbert/dune.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/frank-herbert/dune/anger-is-one.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [anger](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/anger.md)

> There is no escape — we pay for the violence of our ancestors.

[Frank Herbert](https://www.leafyquotes.com/frank-herbert.md) · [Dune](https://www.leafyquotes.com/frank-herbert/dune.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/frank-herbert/dune/there-is-no-escape.md)

Topics: [the past](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/the-past.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> No rational person will approve of violence and terror, and in particular the terror of the post-revolutionary state that has fallen into the hands of a grim autocracy has more than once reached indescribable levels of savagery. At the same time, no person of understanding or humanity will too quickly condemn the violence that often occurs, when long subdued masses rise against their oppressors or take their first steps toward liberty and social reconstruction.

[Noam Chomsky](https://www.leafyquotes.com/noam-chomsky.md) · [Government in the Future](https://www.leafyquotes.com/noam-chomsky/government-in-the-future.md) · p. 137 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/noam-chomsky/government-in-the-future/no-rational-person.md)

Topics: [freedom](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/freedom.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [revolution](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/revolution.md)

> In the long run, the aggressive civilizations destroy themselves, almost always. It's their nature. They can't help it.

[Carl Sagan](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-sagan.md) · [Contact](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-sagan/contact.md) · p. 359 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-sagan/contact/in-the-long.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [survival](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/survival.md)

> “I have always felt,” he said, “that violence was the last refuge of the incompetent, and empty threats the final sanctuary of the terminally inept.”

[Neil Gaiman](https://www.leafyquotes.com/neil-gaiman.md) · [Neverwhere](https://www.leafyquotes.com/neil-gaiman/neverwhere.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/neil-gaiman/neverwhere/i-have-always.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)

> They call me "a teacher, a fomenter of violence." I would say point blank, "That is a lie. I'm not for wanton violence, I'm for justice." I feel that if white people were attacked by Negroes — if the forces of law prove unable, or inadequate, or reluctant to protect those whites from those Negroes — then those white people should protect and defend themselves from those Negroes, using arms if necessary. And I feel that when the law fails to protect Negroes from whites' attacks, then those Negroes should use arms if necessary to defend themselves. "Malcolm X advocates armed Negroes!" What was wrong with that? I'll tell you what's wrong. I was a black man talking about physical defense against the white man. The white man can lynch and burn and bomb and beat Negroes — that's all right: "Have patience"..."The customs are entrenched"..."Things will get better."

[Malcolm X](https://www.leafyquotes.com/malcolm-x.md) · [The Autobiography of Malcolm X](https://www.leafyquotes.com/malcolm-x/the-autobiography-of-malcolm-x.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/malcolm-x/the-autobiography-of-malcolm-x/they-call-me-a-teacher.md)

Topics: [justice](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/justice.md), [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md), [racism](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/racism.md)

> “Violence,” came the retort, “is the last refuge of the incompetent.”

[Isaac Asimov](https://www.leafyquotes.com/isaac-asimov.md) · [Foundation](https://www.leafyquotes.com/isaac-asimov/foundation.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/isaac-asimov/foundation/violence-came-the.md)

Topics: [violence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/violence.md)