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Injury is the thing every exhausting piece of strategy and…

“Injury is the thing every exhausting piece of strategy and every single weapon is designed to bring into being: it is not something inadvertently produced on the way to producing something else but is the relentless object of all military activity.” quote by Elaine Scarry
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“Injury is the thing every exhausting piece of strategy and every single weapon is designed to bring into being: it is not something inadvertently produced on the way to producing something else but is the relentless object of all military activity.”

Elaine Scarry

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Military strategy deliberately creates injury as a goal, not as an accident.

In simple terms: War aims to inflict injury.

Key Takeaway

Recognize the intentional harm of conflict.

Themes

war injury strategy

Mood

somber critical

Type

philosophical political

When to use this quote

  • policy analysis
  • peace advocacy
  • historical study

Key Concepts

ethics military doctrine human suffering

Questions to Reflect On

  • Why is injury used as a strategic objective?
  • How does this perspective change your view of war?
A Different Perspective

Not all conflict follows this pattern; some aim for deterrence.

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