Skip to content

But didn’t you see that last technique?” Baker pressed…

“But didn’t you see that last technique?” Baker pressed. “The blindfold?” He sounded incredulous, but the eyes were still watchful. I noticed the subtle twitch of Hanrahan’s neck muscles and knew that he was listening carefully as well. “Baker,” I said wearily, “it’s a good stunt. It takes a lot of…” quote by John Donohue
Download Open image
““But didn’t you see that last technique?” Baker pressed. “The blindfold?” He sounded incredulous, but the eyes were still watchful. I noticed the subtle twitch of Hanrahan’s neck muscles and knew that he was listening carefully as well. “Baker,” I said wearily, “it’s a good stunt. It takes a lot of practice. But in the long run, you know what?” I paused. “What, Burke?” “I don’t train to fight fruit. And I bet you don’t either.” The Colonel sat back in the seat and smiled. “What do you think, Hanrahan?” “He’ll do,” the sergeant said.””

John Donohue

About This Quote

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

A character questions the purpose of training for combat versus everyday life, highlighting the absurdity of preparing for unlikely scenarios.

In simple terms: Training for unlikely fights seems pointless.

Key Takeaway

Focus on realistic goals.

Themes

purpose absurdity training reality

Mood

skeptical reflective

Type

dialogue literary

When to use this quote

  • military training
  • daily decision making
  • resource allocation

Key Concepts

existentialism pragmatism

Questions to Reflect On

  • Is your preparation aligned with real needs?
  • How do you balance preparedness with practicality?
A Different Perspective

Overemphasis on rare events can waste resources.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by John Donohue

Explore all 16 John Donohue quotes

More Long run quotes

Browse all 1,390 Long run quotes