--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: War for most men is not fighting or…" description: "\"War for most men is not fighting or marching in parades. It is sitting around somewhere wondering what the hell you are supposed to be doing.\" — Art Bu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea3/art-buchwald-8223_fighting_war-for-most-men-is-not-fighting-or-marc_2261962.png" --- # War for most men is not fighting or marching in parades… ![“War for most men is not fighting or marching in parades. It is sitting around somewhere wondering what the hell you are supposed to be doing.” quote by Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea3/art-buchwald-8223_fighting_war-for-most-men-is-not-fighting-or-marc_2261962.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea3/art-buchwald-8223_fighting_war-for-most-men-is-not-fighting-or-marc_2261962.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea3/art-buchwald-8223_fighting_war-for-most-men-is-not-fighting-or-marc_2261962.png) > “War for most men is not fighting or marching in parades. It is sitting around somewhere wondering what the hell you are supposed to be doing.” [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. War for many is a meaningless, idle existence, not the battlefield heroics often imagined. **In simple terms:** War can be idle and purposeless. Key Takeaway Find purpose beyond idle existence. Themes existence meaning war disillusionment Mood reflective somber Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - career counseling - mental health support - purpose workshops - community building Key Concepts existentialism social critique identity Questions to Reflect On - What gives your life meaning? - How do you combat feelings of aimlessness? A Different Perspective May downplay actual combat trauma. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Parades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parades/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) ## Related quotes > [We blacks had problems in the '60s and we solved them by marching. We've still got problems - let's march.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/we-blacks-had-problems-in-the-60s-and-we-solved-them-by-marching-we/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [When I first played New York, it was with James Brown at the Apollo, and I was playing in a band under the name…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-womack/when-i-first-played-new-york-it-was-with-james-brown-at-the-apollo/) [Bobby Womack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-womack/) > [One of my first memories is marching with my mom. I was in kindergarten with with the Catholic ladies when Martin Luther King Jr.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duff-mckagan/one-of-my-first-memories-is-marching-with-my-mom-i-was-in/) [Duff McKagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duff-mckagan/) > [“We are marching in a compact group along a precipitous and difficult path, firmly holding each other by the hand. We are surrounded on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-ilyich-lenin/we-are-marching-in-a-compact-group-along-a-precipitous-and-difficult/) [Vladimir Ilyich Lenin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-ilyich-lenin/) > [Canada Day comes and goes modestly every year. Sure, there are retail sales promotions and a long weekend. But there isn't bluster or commodity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-moranis/canada-day-comes-and-goes-modestly-every-year-sure-there-are-retail/) [Rick Moranis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-moranis/) > [Really, I'm only alive out of curiosity. I'm very curious about where we're all marching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/really-i-m-only-alive-out-of-curiosity-i-m-very-curious-about-where/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [Today, I see thousands of Mahatma Gandhis, Martin Luther Kings, and Nelson Mandelas marching forward and calling on us. The boys and girls have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-satyarthi/today-i-see-thousands-of-mahatma-gandhis-martin-luther-kings-and/) [Kailash Satyarthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-satyarthi/) > [Some people are marching together and some on their own. Others are running, the smaller ones crawl. But some sit in silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/some-people-are-marching-together-and-some-on-their-own-others-are/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“The coke bugs were out in force, doing military manoeuvres, all jazzed up on their Bolivian marching powder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-d-diehl/the-coke-bugs-were-out-in-force-doing-military-manoeuvres-all-jazzed/) Mark D. Diehl > [Within white Australia, there was a growing movement for what was known as reconciliation - a movement that peaked with millions marching in 2000…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-flanagan/within-white-australia-there-was-a-growing-movement-for-what-was/) [Richard Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-flanagan/) > [It's sad when the marching band...is better than the football team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-sad-when-the-marching-band-is-better-than-the-football-team/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Wagons rattling and banging, horses neighing and snorting, conscripts marching, each with bow and arrows at his hip, fathers and mothers, wives and children,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tu-fu/wagons-rattling-and-banging-horses-neighing-and-snorting-conscripts/) [Tu Fu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tu-fu/) > [I didn't want to go marching down the street with camera crews. Oy. To get married? Really? It seems like you have an agenda…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-patrick-harris/i-didn-t-want-to-go-marching-down-the-street-with-camera-crews-oy-to/) [Neil Patrick Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-patrick-harris/) > [“Bikers and marching band members do not mix with whales.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-subramaniam/bikers-and-marching-band-members-do-not-mix-with-whales/) Rahul Subramaniam > [That a man can take pleasure in marching in formation to the strains of a band is enough to make me despise him. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-a-man-can-take-pleasure-in-marching-in-formation-to-the-strains/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Art Buchwald > [The things that matter most are not things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-buchwald/the-things-that-matter-most-are-not-things/) [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) > [Every time you think television has hit its lowest ebb, a new program comes along to make you wonder where you thought the ebb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-buchwald/every-time-you-think-television-has-hit-its-lowest-ebb-a-new-program/) [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) > [I found out I'd spent my whole life believing things that weren't necessarily accurate. My sisters' memories of certain events are entirely different from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-buchwald/i-found-out-i-d-spent-my-whole-life-believing-things-that-weren-t/) [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) > [As the economy gets better, everything else gets worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-buchwald/as-the-economy-gets-better-everything-else-gets-worse/) [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) > [I can now say without hesitation the Marine Corps was the best foster home I ever had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-buchwald/i-can-now-say-without-hesitation-the-marine-corps-was-the-best-foster/) [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) > [Writers are funny about reviews: when they get a good one they ignore it-- but when they get a bad review they never forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-buchwald/writers-are-funny-about-reviews-when-they-get-a-good-one-they-ignore/) [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) > [Television has a real problem. 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There are certain friendships that are so important they leave a mark on you long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-buchwald/every-once-in-a-while-your-world-stands-still-there-are-certain/) [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) > [I just don't want to die the same day Castro dies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-buchwald/i-just-don-t-want-to-die-the-same-day-castro-dies/) [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) > [The best way to clean up a son's room is to close the door and pretend it's not part of the house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-buchwald/the-best-way-to-clean-up-a-son-s-room-is-to-close-the-door-and/) [Art Buchwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) [Explore all 83 Art Buchwald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-buchwald/) ## More Fighting quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. 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Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [Women rule the world. It's not really worth fighting because they know what they're doing. Ask Napoleon. Ask Adam. 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