--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you think of how much violence, how…" description: "\"When you think of how much violence, how much blood... how much has been destroyed to create the great nations, America, Australia, Britain, Germany, F..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25e/arundhati-roy-346_america_when-you-think-of-how-much-violence-how_1232162.jpg" --- # When you think of how much violence, how much blood... how… ![“When you think of how much violence, how much blood... how much has been destroyed to create the great nations, America, Australia, Britain, Germany, France, Belgium - even India, Pakistan. Having destroyed so much to make them, we must have nuclear weapons to protect them - and climate change to…” quote by Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25e/arundhati-roy-346_america_when-you-think-of-how-much-violence-how_1232162.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25e/arundhati-roy-346_america_when-you-think-of-how-much-violence-how_1232162.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25e/arundhati-roy-346_america_when-you-think-of-how-much-violence-how_1232162.jpg) > “When you think of how much violence, how much blood... how much has been destroyed to create the great nations, America, Australia, Britain, Germany, France, Belgium - even India, Pakistan. Having destroyed so much to make them, we must have nuclear weapons to protect them - and climate change to hold up their way of life... a two-pronged annihilation project.” [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote links historical violent nation‑building with modern threats, suggesting a paradox of protection through destruction. **In simple terms:** Past violence built nations; now we protect them with nukes and climate denial. Key Takeaway Recognize and address the contradictions in our security policies. Themes history violence environment politics ethics Mood concerned urgent Type political activist When to use this quote - policy debate - activism - education - international relations Key Concepts colonialism military power climate crisis Questions to Reflect On - How can we reconcile security with sustainability? - What alternatives exist to nuclear deterrence? A Different Perspective Solutions require systemic change, not just new weapons. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Annihilation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/annihilation/) [Australia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/australia/) [Belgium](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belgium/) [Britain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/britain/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Climate change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate-change/) [France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/france/) [Germany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/germany/) [Great nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-nations/) [India](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/india/) [India pakistan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/india-pakistan/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Nuclear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear/) [Nuclear weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear-weapons/) [Pakistan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pakistan/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) [Way of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-of-life/) [Weapons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weapons/) ## Related quotes > [I abominate war as Unchristian. I hold it the greatest of human crimes. I deem it to involve all others,--violence, blood, rapine, fraud; everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-brougham-1st-baron-brougham-and-vaux/i-abominate-war-as-unchristian-i-hold-it-the-greatest-of-human-crimes/) [Henry Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-brougham-1st-baron-brougham-and-vaux/) > [You've gotta be careful. People don't want to be reminded of Vietnam and Korea. We lost thousands of fine young men and didn't win…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-needham/you-ve-gotta-be-careful-people-don-t-want-to-be-reminded-of-vietnam/) [Hal Needham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-needham/) > [Just a few years ago India, Pakistan and Bangladesh were one country. Actually, we were many countries if you count the princely states… Then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/just-a-few-years-ago-india-pakistan-and-bangladesh-were-one-country/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Surely no nation in the history of the world had ever done so much to help civilians in other nations as America did under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-hoover/surely-no-nation-in-the-history-of-the-world-had-ever-done-so-much-to/) [Margaret Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-hoover/) > [ Both of our nations \[America and Germany\] were proud to join the Paris Climate Agreement which the world should work to implement quickly. Continued… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/both-of-our-nations-america-and-germany-were-proud-to-join-the-paris/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nations, not least America, retain full command of their national forces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-jackson/nations-not-least-america-retain-full-command-of-their-national-forces/) [Mike Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-jackson/) > [Is America becoming decadent? Do we no longer regard our promises and pledges as sacred? ... We promised to make peace with Germany only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/is-america-becoming-decadent-do-we-no-longer-regard-our-promises-and/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [United Nations: Where America feeds the hands that bite it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-nunn/united-nations-where-america-feeds-the-hands-that-bite-it/) [Gregory Nunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-nunn/) > [Unique among the nations, America recognized the source of our character as being godly and eternal, not being civic and temporal. And because we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashcroft/unique-among-the-nations-america-recognized-the-source-of-our/) [John Ashcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashcroft/) > [What sort of love is this love that we have for countries? What sort of country is it that will ever live up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/what-sort-of-love-is-this-love-that-we-have-for-countries-what-sort/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [I'm not an expert on India-Pakistan relations, but, Pakistan is big enough without Kashmir and India too is big enough without Kashmir.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yossi-ghinsberg/i-m-not-an-expert-on-india-pakistan-relations-but-pakistan-is-big/) [Yossi Ghinsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yossi-ghinsberg/) > [India-Pakistan matches always capture the imagination of people from either side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ms-dhoni/india-pakistan-matches-always-capture-the-imagination-of-people-from/) [MS Dhoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ms-dhoni/) > [There is no reason why India and Pakistan are fighting. Similarly, there is no reason when two siblings fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanya-malhotra/there-is-no-reason-why-india-and-pakistan-are-fighting-similarly/) [Sanya Malhotra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanya-malhotra/) > [I don't think that the fundamental issue between India and Pakistan is Kashmir, OK.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/i-don-t-think-that-the-fundamental-issue-between-india-and-pakistan/) [Subrahmanyam Jaishankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subrahmanyam-jaishankar/) > [Citizens of India, Pakistan, and Kashmir need to come together and make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zubin-mehta/citizens-of-india-pakistan-and-kashmir-need-to-come-together-and-make/) [Zubin Mehta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zubin-mehta/) ## More by Arundhati Roy > [...As the disparity between the rich and the poor grows, the fight to corner resources is intensifying. To push through their "sweetheart deals," to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/as-the-disparity-between-the-rich-and-the-poor-grows-the-fight-to/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [In 2001, we were told that the war in Afghanistan was a feminist mission. The marines were liberating Afghan women from the Taliban. Can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/in-2001-we-were-told-that-the-war-in-afghanistan-was-a-feminist/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Poverty is a crime and the poor are terrorists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/poverty-is-a-crime-and-the-poor-are-terrorists/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Flat muscled and honey coloured. Sea secrets in his eyes. A silver raindrop in his ear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/flat-muscled-and-honey-coloured-sea-secrets-in-his-eyes-a-silver/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Fiction and non-fiction are only different techniques of story telling. For reasons I do not fully understand, fiction dances out of me. Non-fiction is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/fiction-and-non-fiction-are-only-different-techniques-of-story/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [NGOs have a complicated space in neoliberal politics. They are supposed to mop up the anger. Even when they are doing good work, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/ngos-have-a-complicated-space-in-neoliberal-politics-they-are/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [I've never been that person who thought that because I've written one novel, I should write another and another. It's only when there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/i-ve-never-been-that-person-who-thought-that-because-i-ve-written-one/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [It is such a supreme folly to believe that nuclear weapons are deadly only if they're used.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/it-is-such-a-supreme-folly-to-believe-that-nuclear-weapons-are-deadly/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [I think one of the saddest things that's happening to literature is that it's getting over-simplified by this diet of simple political ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/i-think-one-of-the-saddest-things-that-s-happening-to-literature-is/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [The only dream worth having, I told her, is to dream that you will live while you're alive and die only when you're dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/the-only-dream-worth-having-i-told-her-is-to-dream-that-you-will-live/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [But what was there to say? Only that there were tears. Only that Quietness and Emptiness fitted together like stacked spoons. Only that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/but-what-was-there-to-say-only-that-there-were-tears-only-that/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Truly, there's no alternative to stupidity. Cretinism is the mother of fascism. I have no defence against it, really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/truly-there-s-no-alternative-to-stupidity-cretinism-is-the-mother-of/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“...the secret of the Great Stories is that they have no secrets. The Great Stories are the ones you have heard and want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/the-secret-of-the-great-stories-is-that-they-have-no-secrets-the/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“stilts, the ground floors given over to parking. It’s a good idea in this car-maddened city,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/stilts-the-ground-floors-given-over-to-parking-it-s-a-good-idea-in/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [“Perhaps it’s true that things can change in a day. That a few dozen hours can affect the outcome of whole lifetimes. And that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/perhaps-it-s-true-that-things-can-change-in-a-day-that-a-few-dozen/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) [Explore all 628 Arundhati Roy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you think of how much violence, how much blood... how much has been destroyed to create the great nations, America, Australia, Britain, Germany, France, Belgium - even India, Pakistan. Having destroyed so much to make them, we must have nuclear weapons to protect them - and climate change to hold up their way of life... a two-pronged annihilation project.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Arundhati Roy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/when-you-think-of-how-much-violence-how-much-blood-how-much-has-been/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "America" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/when-you-think-of-how-much-violence-how-much-blood-how-much-has-been/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25e/arundhati-roy-346_america_when-you-think-of-how-much-violence-how_1232162.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25e/arundhati-roy-346_america_when-you-think-of-how-much-violence-how_1232162.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25e/arundhati-roy-346_america_when-you-think-of-how-much-violence-how_1232162.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you think of how much violence, how much blood... how much has been destroyed to create the great…” — Arundhati Roy", "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": "Arundhati Roy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you think of how much...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/when-you-think-of-how-much-violence-how-much-blood-how-much-has-been/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/when-you-think-of-how-much-violence-how-much-blood-how-much-has-been/#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 } } ] } ```