--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When a war breaks out, people say: \"It's…" description: "\"When a war breaks out, people say: \"It's too stupid; it can't last long.\" But though a war may well be \"too stupid,\" that doesn't prevent its lasting. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/albert-camus-47_break_when-a-war-breaks-out-people-say-it-s-to_2479776.jpg" --- # When a war breaks out, people say: "It's too stupid; it… ![“When a war breaks out, people say: "It's too stupid; it can't last long." But though a war may well be "too stupid," that doesn't prevent its lasting. Stupidity has a knack of getting its way; as we should see if we were not always so much wrapped up in ourselves.” quote by Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/albert-camus-47_break_when-a-war-breaks-out-people-say-it-s-to_2479776.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/albert-camus-47_break_when-a-war-breaks-out-people-say-it-s-to_2479776.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/albert-camus-47_break_when-a-war-breaks-out-people-say-it-s-to_2479776.jpg) > “When a war breaks out, people say: "It's too stupid; it can't last long." But though a war may well be "too stupid," that doesn't prevent its lasting. Stupidity has a knack of getting its way; as we should see if we were not always so much wrapped up in ourselves.” [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. War persists despite being deemed foolish; human ego fuels conflict. **In simple terms:** War continues because we ignore our own selfishness. Key Takeaway Question our assumptions about conflict. Themes war human nature ego Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - policy debates - education - media analysis Key Concepts philosophy political critique self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - How does ego shape societal decisions? - Can humility prevent wars? A Different Perspective War is complex; not just stupidity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Break](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break/) [Knack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knack/) [Lasting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasting/) [Lasting Stupidity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasting-stupidity-851627/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Stupid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupid/) [Stupid Doesn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupid-doesn-851628/) [Stupidity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stupidity/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War Breaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-breaks-851629/) [War Stupid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-stupid-851626/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) ## Related quotes > [When a war breaks out, people say: "It's too stupid, it can't last long." But though a war may be "too stupid," that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/when-a-war-breaks-out-people-say-it-s-too-stupid-it-can-t-last-long/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [When a culture simply shrugs about what happens to people in war, it breaks the fragile sequence, the bond between all people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-meade/when-a-culture-simply-shrugs-about-what-happens-to-people-in-war-it/) [Michael Meade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-meade/) > [War breaks us appart and beats us but you must overcome it and stand to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassy-turner/war-breaks-us-appart-and-beats-us-but-you-must-overcome-it-and-stand/) [Cassy Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassy-turner/) > [If a war breaks out with the United States, the navy will have to put all its strength into interceptive operations, so... massive sea-borne…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isoroku-yamamoto/if-a-war-breaks-out-with-the-united-states-the-navy-will-have-to-put/) [Isoroku Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isoroku-yamamoto/) > [war often breaks out when there is the most talk of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-de-rabutin-chantal-marquise-de-sevigne/war-often-breaks-out-when-there-is-the-most-talk-of-peace/) [Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, marquise de Sevigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-de-rabutin-chantal-marquise-de-sevigne/) > [ After all the time we \[people\] spent saying look, war is a stupid way to solve stuff - oh, you're not trying to solve… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-crosby/after-all-the-time-we-people-spent-saying-look-war-is-a-stupid-way-to/) [David Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-crosby/) > [“You feel stupid. Doesn't mean you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lynn-barnes/you-feel-stupid-doesn-t-mean-you-are/) [Jennifer Lynn Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lynn-barnes/) > [War's stupid. Nobody wins. You might as well talk first; you have to talk last anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-allingham/war-s-stupid-nobody-wins-you-might-as-well-talk-first-you-have-to/) [Henry Allingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-allingham/) > [“You are arrogant", says the stupid that doesn't have arguments to fight back ideas, facts or knowledge he can't accept.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/you-are-arrogant-says-the-stupid-that-doesn-t-have-arguments-to-fight/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [America's drug war is so stupid that if you pay close attention to just how stupid it is -- it'll drive you to use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/america-s-drug-war-is-so-stupid-that-if-you-pay-close-attention-to/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Just because we're stupid doesn't mean everybody else was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-dimon/just-because-we-re-stupid-doesn-t-mean-everybody-else-was/) [Jamie Dimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-dimon/) > [The whole nature of war is both stupid and fascinating. It's this big game, except people die. Yet we still keep on playing it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hanneman/the-whole-nature-of-war-is-both-stupid-and-fascinating-it-s-this-big/) [Jeff Hanneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hanneman/) > [Being stupid doesn't really mean you're stupid, sometimes it's the key to live your life in a smart way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riza-tumulak/being-stupid-doesn-t-really-mean-you-re-stupid-sometimes-it-s-the-key/) [Riza Tumulak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riza-tumulak/) > [Calling somebody else fat won't make you any skinnier. Calling someone stupid doesn't make you any smarter. And ruining Regina George's life definitely didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cady/calling-somebody-else-fat-won-t-make-you-any-skinnier-calling-someone/) [Cady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cady/) > [The interior of a teenager’s mind is an endless war between Stupid and Clever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-landay/the-interior-of-a-teenager-s-mind-is-an-endless-war-between-stupid/) [William Landay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-landay/) ## More by Albert Camus > [“The whole town rushed outside to celebrate this crowded minute when the time of suffering had ended and the time of forgetting had not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-whole-town-rushed-outside-to-celebrate-this-crowded-minute-when/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Generally, I like all islands. There, it is easier to rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/generally-i-like-all-islands-there-it-is-easier-to-rule/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Being is good, but getting rich is better… If the gods had only the riches of men's adoration, they would be as poor as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/being-is-good-but-getting-rich-is-better-if-the-gods-had-only-the/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The more I produce, the less I am certain. On the road along which the artist walks, night falls ever more densely. Finally, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-more-i-produce-the-less-i-am-certain-on-the-road-along-which-the/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“Having been, not only mutilated in our country, wounded in our very flesh, but also divested of our most beautiful images, for you gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/having-been-not-only-mutilated-in-our-country-wounded-in-our-very/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [I've seen of enough of people who die for an idea. I don't believe in heroism; I know it's easy and I've learned it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/i-ve-seen-of-enough-of-people-who-die-for-an-idea-i-don-t-believe-in/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The best are led to make greater demands upon themselves. As for those who succumb, they did not deserve to survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-best-are-led-to-make-greater-demands-upon-themselves-as-for-those/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“Then he asked me if I wasn’t interested in a change of life. I said that people never change their lives, that in any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/then-he-asked-me-if-i-wasn-t-interested-in-a-change-of-life-i-said/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Life is meaningless, but worth living, provided you recognize it's meaningless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/life-is-meaningless-but-worth-living-provided-you-recognize-it-s/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Thinking of the future, establishing aims for oneself, having preferences-all this presupposes a belief in freedom, even if one occasionally ascertains that one doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/thinking-of-the-future-establishing-aims-for-oneself-having/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [I explained to him, however, that my nature was such that my physical needs often got in the way of my feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/i-explained-to-him-however-that-my-nature-was-such-that-my-physical/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-only-way-to-deal-with-an-unfree-world-is-to-become-so-absolutely/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“We love people not because for good they did for us, but for good we did for them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/we-love-people-not-because-for-good-they-did-for-us-but-for-good-we/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [You have so much inside you, and the noblest happiness of all. Don’t just wait for a man to come along. That’s the mistake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/you-have-so-much-inside-you-and-the-noblest-happiness-of-all-don-t/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The desire for possession is insatiable, to such a point that it can survive even love itself. To love, therefore, is to sterilize the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-desire-for-possession-is-insatiable-to-such-a-point-that-it-can/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) [Explore all 1,600 Albert Camus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) ## More Break quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [Things are going well in Germany because the economy is booming and as an export-driven nation, we are profiting from the fact that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/things-are-going-well-in-germany-because-the-economy-is-booming-and/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [There were songs that we cut out after we chose the name, because 'Praise Break' turned out to be an underlying concept that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-caesar/there-were-songs-that-we-cut-out-after-we-chose-the-name-because/) [Daniel Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-caesar/) > [“He didn't break my heart. No one can break your heart except you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-didn-t-break-my-heart-no-one-can-break-your-heart-except-you/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“She couldn't break the orbit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-schwab/she-couldn-t-break-the-orbit/) [Victoria Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-schwab/) > [Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/your-pain-is-the-breaking-of-the-shell-that-encloses-your/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [Must I go bound while you go free Must I love a manwho doesn't love me Must I be born with so little art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/must-i-go-bound-while-you-go-free-must-i-love-a-manwho-doesn-t-love/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I hadn't worked for a year when I had my Prison Break audition and it was the easiest audition I've ever had. I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-hadn-t-worked-for-a-year-when-i-had-my-prison-break-audition-and-it/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [If you strike upon a thought that baffles you, break off from that entanglement and try another, so shall your wits be fresh to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristophanes/if-you-strike-upon-a-thought-that-baffles-you-break-off-from-that/) [Aristophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristophanes/) > [“A hole ain’t nothing either, but you can still break your neck in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-donati/a-hole-ain-t-nothing-either-but-you-can-still-break-your-neck-in-it/) [Sara Donati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-donati/) > [“I break things, a lot of things, but I don’t want one of them to be you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-break-things-a-lot-of-things-but-i-don-t-want-one-of-them-to-be-you/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Motor racing's less of a sport these days than a commercial break doing 150 mph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dunne/motor-racing-s-less-of-a-sport-these-days-than-a-commercial-break/) [Peter Dunne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dunne/) > [Much like teaching art to young art students age 10 to 15 or so on, you have to break it down into bite-sized pieces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/much-like-teaching-art-to-young-art-students-age-10-to-15-or-so-on/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [The purpose is to be in gratitude forever. Live with applied consciousness, prosperity will break through the walls, flood you with it. You do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh-yogi/the-purpose-is-to-be-in-gratitude-forever-live-with-applied/) [Harbhajan Singh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh-yogi/) > [Never break another man's rice bowl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akio-morita/never-break-another-man-s-rice-bowl/) [Akio Morita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akio-morita/) [Browse all 8,188 Break quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When a war breaks out, people say: \"It's too stupid; it can't last long.\" But though a war may well be \"too stupid,\" that doesn't prevent its lasting. Stupidity has a knack of getting its way; as we should see if we were not always so much wrapped up in ourselves.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Albert Camus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/when-a-war-breaks-out-people-say-it-s-too-stupid-it-can-t-last-long-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Break" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/when-a-war-breaks-out-people-say-it-s-too-stupid-it-can-t-last-long-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/albert-camus-47_break_when-a-war-breaks-out-people-say-it-s-to_2479776.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/albert-camus-47_break_when-a-war-breaks-out-people-say-it-s-to_2479776.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15b/albert-camus-47_break_when-a-war-breaks-out-people-say-it-s-to_2479776.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When a war breaks out, people say: \"It's too stupid; it can't last long.\" But though a war may well be \"too…” — Albert Camus", "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": "Albert Camus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When a war breaks out, people...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/when-a-war-breaks-out-people-say-it-s-too-stupid-it-can-t-last-long-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/when-a-war-breaks-out-people-say-it-s-too-stupid-it-can-t-last-long-2/#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 } } ] } ```