--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My theory is that everything went to hell…" description: "\"My theory is that everything went to hell with Prohibition, because it was a law nobody could obey. So the whole concept of the rule of law was corrupt..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/615/anonymous-1_accepting_my-theory-is-that-everything-went-to-hel_2294618.jpg" --- # My theory is that everything went to hell with… ![“My theory is that everything went to hell with Prohibition, because it was a law nobody could obey. So the whole concept of the rule of law was corrupted at that moment. Then came Vietnam, and marijuana, which clearly shouldn't be illegal, but is. If you go to jail for ten years in Texas when you…” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/615/anonymous-1_accepting_my-theory-is-that-everything-went-to-hel_2294618.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/615/anonymous-1_accepting_my-theory-is-that-everything-went-to-hel_2294618.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/615/anonymous-1_accepting_my-theory-is-that-everything-went-to-hel_2294618.jpg) > “My theory is that everything went to hell with Prohibition, because it was a law nobody could obey. So the whole concept of the rule of law was corrupted at that moment. Then came Vietnam, and marijuana, which clearly shouldn't be illegal, but is. If you go to jail for ten years in Texas when you light up a joint, who are you? You're a lawbreaker. It's just like Prohibition was. When people accept breaking the law as normal, something happens to the whole society, you see?” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prohibition showed that laws people people to obey erode the rule of law, leading to broader societal decay. **In simple terms:** When laws are ignored, society weakens. Key Takeaway Respect laws that are just and enforceable. Themes law society corruption Mood critical concerned Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - policy reform - criminal justice reform - public education - community dialogue Key Concepts rule of law social contract Questions to Reflect On - Are all laws equally vulnerable to disregard? - What balances law enforcement and personal freedom? A Different Perspective The view oversimplifies complex social issues by blaming a single cause. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accepting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepting/) [Breaking Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaking-law-642837/) [Breaking the law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaking-the-law/) [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Hell Prohibition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell-prohibition-5405074/) [Illegal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illegal/) [Jail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jail/) [Joints](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joints/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Law Corrupted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-corrupted-5405075/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Like Prohibition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-prohibition-4089671/) [Marijuana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marijuana/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Normal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/normal/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Prohibition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prohibition/) [Rule of law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rule-of-law/) [Ten years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ten-years/) [Texas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/texas/) [That moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/that-moment/) [Theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theory/) [Things happen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Vietnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vietnam/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [Communism is like prohibition, it is a good idea, but it won't work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/communism-is-like-prohibition-it-is-a-good-idea-but-it-won-t-work/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [“You don’t mind breaking the law?” “Not in the least.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-don-t-mind-breaking-the-law-not-in-the-least/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Back to the land of freedom. Back to breaking the law with her sisters to make sure justice got served. God, just the thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fern-michaels/back-to-the-land-of-freedom-back-to-breaking-the-law-with-her-sisters/) [Fern Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fern-michaels/) > [“If you are breaking the law, it is better when someone other than the IRS finds out first.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-chandel/if-you-are-breaking-the-law-it-is-better-when-someone-other-than-the/) [Amit Chandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-chandel/) > [I want freedom and I realize that the only way to get it is to quit breaking the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-gilmore/i-want-freedom-and-i-realize-that-the-only-way-to-get-it-is-to-quit/) [Gary Gilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-gilmore/) > [After divorce of Pompeia in 62 BC I feel that members of my family should never be suspected of breaking the law. -Meos tam…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-caesar/after-divorce-of-pompeia-in-62-bc-i-feel-that-members-of-my-family/) [Julius Caesar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-caesar/) > [“Idaville looked like many seaside towns on the outside. On the inside, however, it was different. Very different. No one, grown-up or child, got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-j-sobol/idaville-looked-like-many-seaside-towns-on-the-outside-on-the-inside/) [Donald J. Sobol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-j-sobol/) > [Cliven Bundy is breaking the law. He's breaking the law and he wants all of us to pay for his cattle while he's ranting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-quinn/cliven-bundy-is-breaking-the-law-he-s-breaking-the-law-and-he-wants/) [Christine Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-quinn/) > [How can a man help breaking the law when he don't have money to live on?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-macdonald/how-can-a-man-help-breaking-the-law-when-he-don-t-have-money-to-live/) [Ross MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-macdonald/) > [You know, before when (the police went) to work, they used to be like, 'I'm gonna kick somebody's ass today and so I hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-king/you-know-before-when-the-police-went-to-work-they-used-to-be-like-i-m/) [Rodney King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-king/) > [“If the law doesn't protect the people, the people protect themselves by breaking the law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamerlan-kuzgov/if-the-law-doesn-t-protect-the-people-the-people-protect-themselves/) [Tamerlan Kuzgov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamerlan-kuzgov/) > [ “\[Showing the apartment to Tiziano \] MARLEEN WALKER: “Let me alert you that animals are banned in this building.” TIZIANO CONTI: “Am I breaking… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merce-cardus/showing-the-apartment-to-tiziano-marleen-walker-let-me-alert-you-that/) [Merce Cardus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merce-cardus/) > [There's no excuse for breaking the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-scalise/there-s-no-excuse-for-breaking-the-law/) [Steve Scalise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-scalise/) > [If laws were real they wouldn’t need to be enforced, because if they were real they couldn’t be broken. Try breaking the law of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyd-rice/if-laws-were-real-they-wouldn-t-need-to-be-enforced-because-if-they/) [Boyd Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyd-rice/) > [When people are breaking the law, they don’t get an invitation to the White House. They ought to be getting an invitation to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/when-people-are-breaking-the-law-they-don-t-get-an-invitation-to-the/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Accepting quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. A woman in Santa Barbara, California, sent a $40,000 check.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-abel/even-with-clothing-naked-animals-there-were-people-who-wanted-to-send/) [Alan Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-abel/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [As my films are born at the moment when they are reflected into another person's mind and memories, there are no misconceptions. I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) [Browse all 6,788 Accepting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accepting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My theory is that everything went to hell with Prohibition, because it was a law nobody could obey. So the whole concept of the rule of law was corrupted at that moment. Then came Vietnam, and marijuana, which clearly shouldn't be illegal, but is. If you go to jail for ten years in Texas when you light up a joint, who are you? You're a lawbreaker. It's just like Prohibition was. 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