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I wonder how difficult it would be to just make a list of…

“I wonder how difficult it would be to just make a list of all the top blood purists and kill them. They'd tried exactly that during the French Revolution, more or less - make a list of all the enemies of Progress and remove everything above the neck - and it hadn't worked out well from what Harry…” quote by Eliezer Yudkowsky
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““I wonder how difficult it would be to just make a list of all the top blood purists and kill them. They'd tried exactly that during the French Revolution, more or less - make a list of all the enemies of Progress and remove everything above the neck - and it hadn't worked out well from what Harry recalled. Maybe he needed to dust off some of those history books his father had bought him, and see if what had gone wrong with the French Revolution was something easy to fix.””

Eliezer Yudkowsky

About This Quote

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

The speaker suggests that eliminating perceived enemies of progress, as attempted during the French Revolution, is a flawed, violent shortcut that ignores deeper systemic issues.

In simple terms: Killing opponents won’t solve problems.

Key Takeaway

Avoid simplistic, violent solutions.

Themes

politics history ethics revolution strategy

Mood

cautious critical reflective

Type

analytical philosophical

When to use this quote

  • political reform
  • social movements
  • conflict resolution
  • policy design

Key Concepts

totalitarianism mass violence ideological purity historical cycles

Questions to Reflect On

  • What underlying causes drive revolutionary violence?
  • Can progress be achieved without coercion?
A Different Perspective

Violence often creates new problems and moral costs.

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