--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To be really obvious about something, if…" description: "\"To be really obvious about something, if somebody straps an M1 on your shoulder and throws you in Iraq, you're going to get a sense of what the hell's ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c04/al-pacino-1656_boys_to-be-really-obvious-about-something-if_2129402.jpg" --- # To be really obvious about something, if somebody straps… ![“To be really obvious about something, if somebody straps an M1 on your shoulder and throws you in Iraq, you're going to get a sense of what the hell's going on there. Boy, you'll wake up fast when bullets are flying over your head.” quote by Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c04/al-pacino-1656_boys_to-be-really-obvious-about-something-if_2129402.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c04/al-pacino-1656_boys_to-be-really-obvious-about-something-if_2129402.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c04/al-pacino-1656_boys_to-be-really-obvious-about-something-if_2129402.jpg) > “To be really obvious about something, if somebody straps an M1 on your shoulder and throws you in Iraq, you're going to get a sense of what the hell's going on there. Boy, you'll wake up fast when bullets are flying over your head.” [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Violent conflict makes the reality of war unmistakably clear and immediate. **In simple terms:** War's harshness is evident when faced with direct danger. Key Takeaway Recognize the true cost of conflict. Themes war reality danger experience awakening Mood intense urgent Type political reflective When to use this quote - military service - journalism - political debate - peace activism Key Concepts combat reality human cost psychological impact Questions to Reflect On - What does witnessing violence teach you about peace? - How does proximity change perception of war? A Different Perspective Personal experience may not capture broader systemic causes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Bullets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bullets/) [Bullets Flying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bullets-flying-1934905/) [Fast Bullets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fast-bullets-4382113/) [Flying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flying/) [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Iraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq/) [M1 Shoulder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/m1-shoulder-4382111/) [Obvious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obvious/) [Over you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/over-you/) [Shoulders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shoulders/) [Throws Iraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/throws-iraq-4382112/) [Wake up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wake-up/) ## Related quotes > [I want to score but when you think of the soldiers in Iraq with bullets flying around their heads you realise a penalty isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-noble/i-want-to-score-but-when-you-think-of-the-soldiers-in-iraq-with/) [Mark Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-noble/) > [A word carries far, very far, deals destruction through time as the bullets go flying through space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/a-word-carries-far-very-far-deals-destruction-through-time-as-the/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [The more bullets flying, the less accurate each individual slug has to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-vachss/the-more-bullets-flying-the-less-accurate-each-individual-slug-has-to/) [Andrew Vachss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-vachss/) > [There is no great sport in having bullets flying about one in every direction, but I find they have less horror when among them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/there-is-no-great-sport-in-having-bullets-flying-about-one-in-every/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [“We don't talk about the danger -- but what I imagine is a cartoon version, bullets flying and each boy a super hero, running,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-baker-kline/we-don-t-talk-about-the-danger-but-what-i-imagine-is-a-cartoon/) [Christina Baker Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baker-kline/) > [I have had bullets flying at concerts, but I don't want to talk about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zubin-mehta/i-have-had-bullets-flying-at-concerts-but-i-don-t-want-to-talk-about/) [Zubin Mehta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zubin-mehta/) > [“Allen struggled to hold the Blackhawk steady. He could hear the bullets flying by and, for just a second, he closed his eyes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-sanders/allen-struggled-to-hold-the-blackhawk-steady-he-could-hear-the/) [Jill Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-sanders/) > [“Carey recalled Tillman turning to him and tapping him on the shoulder. "Look who's coming up the road!" he said incredulously. In a scene…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-k-o-donnell/carey-recalled-tillman-turning-to-him-and-tapping-him-on-the-shoulder/) [Patrick K. O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-k-o-donnell/) > [My God! The English language is a form of communication! Conversation isn't just crossfire where you shoot and get shot at! Where you've got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/my-god-the-english-language-is-a-form-of-communication-conversation/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [Thus is man made equal to every event. He can face danger for the right. A poor, tender, painful body, he can run into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/thus-is-man-made-equal-to-every-event-he-can-face-danger-for-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Discoveries from one community cannot be repackaged and provided to another as a silver bullet, That's a "best practice" rollout and it invariably evokes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-pascale/discoveries-from-one-community-cannot-be-repackaged-and-provided-to/) [Richard Pascale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-pascale/) > [We're not going to cure terrorism and spread peace and goodwill in the Middle East by killing innocent people, or I'm not even saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindy-sheehan/we-re-not-going-to-cure-terrorism-and-spread-peace-and-goodwill-in/) [Cindy Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindy-sheehan/) > [The bullet that will kill me is not yet cast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/the-bullet-that-will-kill-me-is-not-yet-cast/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [“One javelin through five people is like a murder kabob. Saves bullets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/one-javelin-through-five-people-is-like-a-murder-kabob-saves-bullets/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [There is no silver bullet. There are always options and the options have consequences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/there-is-no-silver-bullet-there-are-always-options-and-the-options/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) ## More by Al Pacino > [Take a look at Israel's history and you would know who the terrorist is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/take-a-look-at-israel-s-history-and-you-would-know-who-the-terrorist/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [Failure's relative. I've always felt, even early on, if I lose the freedom to fail, something's not right about that. It's how you treat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/failure-s-relative-i-ve-always-felt-even-early-on-if-i-lose-the/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [Who speaks of triumph? To endure is everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/who-speaks-of-triumph-to-endure-is-everything/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [Opinions I have about anything are in my personal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/opinions-i-have-about-anything-are-in-my-personal-life/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [The fruit falls off the tree. You don't shake it off before it's ready to fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/the-fruit-falls-off-the-tree-you-don-t-shake-it-off-before-it-s-ready/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [“Attica! Attica! Attica!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/attica-attica-attica/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [I always had this thing, when I was younger especially, I didn't want to do movies that much. I found they took a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/i-always-had-this-thing-when-i-was-younger-especially-i-didn-t-want/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [There has been a lot of self-doubt and unwelcome events in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/there-has-been-a-lot-of-self-doubt-and-unwelcome-events-in-my-life/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [ I think what you see \[in Salome the play backstage\] is an artist having this fit of temperament. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/i-think-what-you-see-in-salome-the-play-backstage-is-an-artist-having/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [ When \[Julia Marie Pacino\] was 5 or 6 years old, we were in an Italian restaurant, and these people came by the table and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/when-julia-marie-pacino-was-5-or-6-years-old-we-were-in-an-italian/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [I went to Performing Arts because that was the only school that would accept me. My scholastic level was not very high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/i-went-to-performing-arts-because-that-was-the-only-school-that-would/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [My first language was shy. Its only by having been thrust into the limelight that I have learned to cope with my shyness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/my-first-language-was-shy-its-only-by-having-been-thrust-into-the/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [When I was younger, there was the sex thing. That's par for the course.When you're a movie star, it went with it. It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/when-i-was-younger-there-was-the-sex-thing-that-s-par-for-the-course/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [An actor with too much money will usually find a way to get rid of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/an-actor-with-too-much-money-will-usually-find-a-way-to-get-rid-of-it/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [I'm an actor, not a star. Stars are people who live in Hollywood and have heart-shaped swimming pools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/i-m-an-actor-not-a-star-stars-are-people-who-live-in-hollywood-and/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) [Explore all 219 Al Pacino quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) ## More Boys quotes > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [Boys and boys' body image and clothes have become just as important an issue for boys as for girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalind-wiseman/boys-and-boys-body-image-and-clothes-have-become-just-as-important-an/) [Rosalind Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalind-wiseman/) > [Lets face it this world is ruled by girls that why we must away pleases our girls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrawesome/lets-face-it-this-world-is-ruled-by-girls-that-why-we-must-away/) [MrAwesome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mrawesome/) > [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) > [When it comes to bullying small businesses, Donald Trump is the poster boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/when-it-comes-to-bullying-small-businesses-donald-trump-is-the-poster/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [When other boys dreamt of going to the moon or becoming doctors, I wanted to be a designer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-theyskens/when-other-boys-dreamt-of-going-to-the-moon-or-becoming-doctors-i/) [Olivier Theyskens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-theyskens/) > [In the middle of a play, I go crazy and don't realize what I'm doing. I'll snap back to reality and I realize, 'Hey,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-bosworth/in-the-middle-of-a-play-i-go-crazy-and-don-t-realize-what-i-m-doing-i/) [Brian Bosworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-bosworth/) > [If Pete’s (Sampras) child is a girl, my son will like her; if he’s a boy, my son will defeat him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-agassi/if-pete-s-sampras-child-is-a-girl-my-son-will-like-her-if-he-s-a-boy/) [Andre Agassi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-agassi/) > [The tie's a multi purpose accessory, y'know, belt, school boy, Rambo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-fielding/the-tie-s-a-multi-purpose-accessory-y-know-belt-school-boy-rambo/) [Noel Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-fielding/) > [The reason I went to an all-boys Catholic school was because they had the best football team. We won the state championship my junior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-rossi/the-reason-i-went-to-an-all-boys-catholic-school-was-because-they-had/) [Theo Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-rossi/) > [Some article called me the most feared man in Silicon Valley. Good Lord! Why? My teenage boys got a kick out of it: 'Dad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/some-article-called-me-the-most-feared-man-in-silicon-valley-good/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [She had been dragged in the most humiliating of all dusts, the dust reserved for older women who let themselves be approached, on amorous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-von-arnim/she-had-been-dragged-in-the-most-humiliating-of-all-dusts-the-dust/) [Elizabeth von Arnim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-von-arnim/) > [As you'll never hear the thing again, my boy, why not throw in a couple of brass bands?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/as-you-ll-never-hear-the-thing-again-my-boy-why-not-throw-in-a-couple/) [Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/) > [So I was ugly. I was never fat, really, and I never wore headgear or had zits or anything. But I was ugly. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/so-i-was-ugly-i-was-never-fat-really-and-i-never-wore-headgear-or-had/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [If a Coach is determined to stay in the coaching profession, he will develop from year to year. This much is true, no coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-rupp/if-a-coach-is-determined-to-stay-in-the-coaching-profession-he-will/) [Adolph Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-rupp/) [Browse all 7,168 Boys quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To be really obvious about something, if somebody straps an M1 on your shoulder and throws you in Iraq, you're going to get a sense of what the hell's going on there. Boy, you'll wake up fast when bullets are flying over your head.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Al Pacino" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/to-be-really-obvious-about-something-if-somebody-straps-an-m1-on-your/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Boys" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/to-be-really-obvious-about-something-if-somebody-straps-an-m1-on-your/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c04/al-pacino-1656_boys_to-be-really-obvious-about-something-if_2129402.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c04/al-pacino-1656_boys_to-be-really-obvious-about-something-if_2129402.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c04/al-pacino-1656_boys_to-be-really-obvious-about-something-if_2129402.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To be really obvious about something, if somebody straps an M1 on your shoulder and throws you in Iraq…” — Al Pacino", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Al Pacino", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To be really obvious about something,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/to-be-really-obvious-about-something-if-somebody-straps-an-m1-on-your/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/to-be-really-obvious-about-something-if-somebody-straps-an-m1-on-your/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```