---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why should the killers of the world be…"
description: "\"“Why should the killers of the world be \"the future\" and not us?”\" — Alice Walker"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/268/alice-walker-347_future_why-should-the-killers-of-the-world-be-t_1045161.png"
---

#  Why should the killers of the world be "the future" and…

![“Why should the killers of the world be &quot;the future&quot; and not us?” quote by Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/268/alice-walker-347_future_why-should-the-killers-of-the-world-be-t_1045161.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/268/alice-walker-347_future_why-should-the-killers-of-the-world-be-t_1045161.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/268/alice-walker-347_future_why-should-the-killers-of-the-world-be-t_1045161.png)

> ““Why should the killers of the world be "the future" and not us?””

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

## About This Quote

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

The future should be shaped by those who protect life, not by those who cause destruction.

**In simple terms:** We must prioritize protectors over killers for tomorrow.

Key Takeaway

Support and empower life‑preserving actions.

Themes

environment peace future ethics

Mood

reflective urgent

Type

ethical philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- climate activism
- conflict resolution
- community building
- policy advocacy

Key Concepts

non‑violence stewardship humanity

Questions to Reflect On

- Who truly safeguards humanity's future?
- How do we identify and uplift protectors?

A Different Perspective

Some may argue that power dynamics complicate who is deemed "killer" or "future".

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Future](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/) [Killers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killers/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/)

## Related quotes

> [Among all the killers in the world, your smile is the deadliest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romeo-huerbana/among-all-the-killers-in-the-world-your-smile-is-the-deadliest/)

[Romeo Huerbana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romeo-huerbana/)

> [Our world's future is far more malleable and controllable than most people realize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-samit/our-world-s-future-is-far-more-malleable-and-controllable-than-most/)

[Jay Samit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-samit/)

> [Real life security and contentment come not from putting a gun in the cupboard, but from taking a role in the world's future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-brown/real-life-security-and-contentment-come-not-from-putting-a-gun-in-the/)

[Bob Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-brown/)

> [It is today that we create the world of the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/it-is-today-that-we-create-the-world-of-the-future/)

[Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/)

> [We do not need to plan or devise a "world of the future"; if we take care of the world of the present, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/we-do-not-need-to-plan-or-devise-a-world-of-the-future-if-we-take-2/)

[Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/)

> [In a world without future, each moment is the end of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-without-future-each-moment-is-the-end-of-the-world/)

[Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/)

> [There are indications because of new inventions, that 10, 15, or 20 nations will have a nuclear capacity, including Red China, by the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/there-are-indications-because-of-new-inventions-that-10-15-or-20/)

[John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/)

> [I see a world in the future in which we understand that all life is related to us and we treat that life with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-suzuki/i-see-a-world-in-the-future-in-which-we-understand-that-all-life-is-2/)

[David Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-suzuki/)

> [We face the future fortified with the lessons we have learned from the past. It is today that we must create the world of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/we-face-the-future-fortified-with-the-lessons-we-have-learned-from/)

[Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/)

> [“If you look closely, you can see that you are not defined by the world. You are the world. You are the future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-lehtman/if-you-look-closely-you-can-see-that-you-are-not-defined-by-the-world/)

Maria Lehtman

> [“If the world is to have a future, it lies in the hands of women. At time of this writing nearly half of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-grayling/if-the-world-is-to-have-a-future-it-lies-in-the-hands-of-women-at/)

[A.C. Grayling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-c-grayling/)

> [“when the black populations of the world have a future, so will the Western nations have a future-and not till then. But the terrible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/when-the-black-populations-of-the-world-have-a-future-so-will-the/)

[James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/)

> [“We do not need to plan or devise a "world of the future"; if we take care of the world of the present, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/we-do-not-need-to-plan-or-devise-a-world-of-the-future-if-we-take/)

[Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/)

> [“And there was a time, you know, not so long ago, as recently as my own childhood in fact, when everyone believed in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-demille/and-there-was-a-time-you-know-not-so-long-ago-as-recently-as-my-own/)

[Nelson DeMille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-demille/)

> [All our language about the future ... is like a set of signposts pointing into a bright mist ... the New Testament image of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/all-our-language-about-the-future-is-like-a-set-of-signposts-pointing/)

[N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/)

## More by Alice Walker

> [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [Just be what it is that you are, and that is just fine. You don't have to be what you're not in any way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/just-be-what-it-is-that-you-are-and-that-is-just-fine-you-don-t-have/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [“Remember this-- say it &amp; know it is true: Alice loves me Alice loves me and I am not blamed for this. ... she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/remember-this-say-it-know-it-is-true-alice-loves-me-alice-loves-me/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [“Only the sky above us do we hold in common.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/only-the-sky-above-us-do-we-hold-in-common/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [“Why aren't you happy in America, if everyone there drives motorcars?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/why-aren-t-you-happy-in-america-if-everyone-there-drives-motorcars/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [“She saw poetry where other writers merely saw failure to cope with English.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/she-saw-poetry-where-other-writers-merely-saw-failure-to-cope-with/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [My mother had handed down respect for the possibilities...and the will to grasp them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/my-mother-had-handed-down-respect-for-the-possibilities-and-the-will/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [Helped are those who are content to be themselves; they will never lack mystery in their lives and the joys of self-discovery will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/helped-are-those-who-are-content-to-be-themselves-they-will-never/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [“As others might prepare for an exam whose subject matter is unknown to them, so I must study, cram, for every conversation with my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/as-others-might-prepare-for-an-exam-whose-subject-matter-is-unknown/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [The original crime of niggers and lesbians is that they prefer themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/the-original-crime-of-niggers-and-lesbians-is-that-they-prefer/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [My mother was very strong. Once, she picked up a coconut and smashed it against my father's head. It taught me about women defending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/my-mother-was-very-strong-once-she-picked-up-a-coconut-and-smashed-it/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [Many readers fail to realize this, but 'The Color Purple' is a theological text. It is about the reclamation of one's original God: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/many-readers-fail-to-realize-this-but-the-color-purple-is-a/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [The good news may be that Nature is phasing out the white man, but the bad news is that's who She thinks we all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/the-good-news-may-be-that-nature-is-phasing-out-the-white-man-but-the/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [Humans - whatever billions we are - we don't have the control. We are considered expendable, basically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/humans-whatever-billions-we-are-we-don-t-have-the-control-we-are/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [All my life I had to fight. I had to fight my daddy. I had to fight my uncles. I had to fight my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/all-my-life-i-had-to-fight-i-had-to-fight-my-daddy-i-had-to-fight-my/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

[Explore all 654 Alice Walker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

## More Future quotes

> [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/)

[Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/)

> [Getting on the cover of TIME guarantees the existence of opposition in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/getting-on-the-cover-of-time-guarantees-the-existence-of-opposition/)

[John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/)

> [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/)

[Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/)

> [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [If you can connect people, you can create the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-heiferman/if-you-can-connect-people-you-can-create-the-future/)

[Scott Heiferman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-heiferman/)

> [A strong, durable Puerto Rican economy will leave the island better prepared to handle future natural disasters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/a-strong-durable-puerto-rican-economy-will-leave-the-island-better/)

[Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/)

> [“We have no idea, now, of who or what the inhabitants of our future might be. In that sense, we have no future. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/we-have-no-idea-now-of-who-or-what-the-inhabitants-of-our-future/)

[William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/)

> [“You are destiny for greatness. Your future is in the hands of the Lord.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/you-are-destiny-for-greatness-your-future-is-in-the-hands-of-the-lord/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [I'm just always looking forwards. I spend very little time, looking backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/i-m-just-always-looking-forwards-i-spend-very-little-time-looking/)

[Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/)

> [Football is my passion, and who knows where I will play in the future - you cannot foresee that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edinson-cavani/football-is-my-passion-and-who-knows-where-i-will-play-in-the-future/)

[Edinson Cavani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edinson-cavani/)

> [When I was 17, I broke up with my future wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-allen/when-i-was-17-i-broke-up-with-my-future-wife/)

[Kris Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-allen/)

> [I think everybody in the future has stopped talking to each other and we all just use emojis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarlett-moffatt/i-think-everybody-in-the-future-has-stopped-talking-to-each-other-and/)

[Scarlett Moffatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarlett-moffatt/)

> [When you continue to dwell on the past, there's no chance for a future. History repeats itself, thus, it's ok to LOOK back at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-continue-to-dwell-on-the-past-there-s-no-chance-for-a-future/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I am no different from a lot of people. I am concerned for the future of my children and concerned for the future of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/i-am-no-different-from-a-lot-of-people-i-am-concerned-for-the-future/)

[John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/)

> [Starting a new job can be nerve-racking , but it's also exciting. You're embarking on a new future, positioning yourself to write a fresh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adena-friedman/starting-a-new-job-can-be-nerve-racking-but-it-s-also-exciting-you-re/)

[Adena Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adena-friedman/)

[Browse all 12,349 Future quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Why should the killers of the world be \"the future\" and not us?”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Alice Walker"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/why-should-the-killers-of-the-world-be-the-future-and-not-us/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Future"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/why-should-the-killers-of-the-world-be-the-future-and-not-us/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/268/alice-walker-347_future_why-should-the-killers-of-the-world-be-t_1045161.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/268/alice-walker-347_future_why-should-the-killers-of-the-world-be-t_1045161.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/268/alice-walker-347_future_why-should-the-killers-of-the-world-be-t_1045161.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Why should the killers of the world be \"the future\" and not us?” — Alice Walker",
                "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": "Alice Walker",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Why should the killers of the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/why-should-the-killers-of-the-world-be-the-future-and-not-us/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/why-should-the-killers-of-the-world-be-the-future-and-not-us/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
