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.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Violence creates more violence even when justified by justice or peace. It perpetuates conflict rather than ending it.
- In plain terms
- Using violence to stop violence only makes more violence happen.
- What can you take from it?
- Violence cannot end violence.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Can violence ever truly stop violence?
- What breaks the cycle?
Another view
Some argue violence is sometimes necessary to stop greater violence.
More from Wendell Berry
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 cul…
Permalink to quote #41 What could be more absurd, to begin with, than our attitude of high moral outrage against other nations for manufacturing the selfsame weapons that we manufact…
Permalink to quote #43 Our century of war, militarism, and political terror has produced great-and successful-advocates of true peace, among whom Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther Ki…
Permalink to quote #40
Related quotes
Once killing starts, it is difficult to draw the line.
TacitusTacitus quote #8 Der Krieg ernahrt den Krieg.
Friedrich von SchillerFriedrich von Schiller quote #61 I come bearing an olive branch in one hand, and the freedom fighter's gun in the other. Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand.
Yasser ArafatYasser Arafat quote #1