--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We may never understand what leads…" description: "\"We may never understand what leads anybody to terrorize their fellow human beings. Such violence, such evil is senseless. It's beyond reason.\" — Barack..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/442/barack-obama-17_evil_we-may-never-understand-what-leads-anybo_110021.jpg" --- # We may never understand what leads anybody to terrorize… ![“We may never understand what leads anybody to terrorize their fellow human beings. Such violence, such evil is senseless. It's beyond reason.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/442/barack-obama-17_evil_we-may-never-understand-what-leads-anybo_110021.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/442/barack-obama-17_evil_we-may-never-understand-what-leads-anybo_110021.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/442/barack-obama-17_evil_we-may-never-understand-what-leads-anybo_110021.jpg) > “We may never understand what leads anybody to terrorize their fellow human beings. Such violence, such evil is senseless. It's beyond reason.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human cruelty often lacks rational explanation, appearing senseless and beyond ordinary moral reasoning. **In simple terms:** Violence can be irrational. Key Takeaway Some evil defies logic. Themes violence evil irrationality human nature Mood somber concerned Type reflective political When to use this quote - mass shootings - genocide - terrorist attacks Key Concepts moral psychology social pathology Practical Applications - investigate root causes beyond logic - promote empathy education Questions to Reflect On - Why do we seek rational explanations for senseless acts? - Can understanding motives reduce future violence? A Different Perspective Labeling all violence as senseless may overlook ideological or systemic drivers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) ## Related quotes > [“We do not have a choice between purity and violence but between different kinds of violence. Inasmuch as we are incarnate beings, violence is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-merleau-ponty/we-do-not-have-a-choice-between-purity-and-violence-but-between/) [Maurice Merleau-Ponty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-merleau-ponty/) > [“Many shooters ask the gamer to use violence against pure, unambiguous evil: monsters, Nazis, corporate goons, aliens of Ottoman territorial ambition. Yet these shooters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-bissell/many-shooters-ask-the-gamer-to-use-violence-against-pure-unambiguous/) [Tom Bissell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-bissell/) > [Violence, and evil, doesn't always come dressed in black, and it doesn't always look like Charles Manson. Nor does it always come to us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-jensen/violence-and-evil-doesn-t-always-come-dressed-in-black-and-it-doesn-t/) [Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/) > [violence is an evil thing, but when the guns are all in the hands of the men without respect for human rights, then men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/violence-is-an-evil-thing-but-when-the-guns-are-all-in-the-hands-of/) [Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/) > [We are now living in a world where we've got to hide to love. But violence, evil and hatred are practice publicly. We live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sessah-odai-sadick/we-are-now-living-in-a-world-where-we-ve-got-to-hide-to-love-but/) [Sessah-Odai Sadick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sessah-odai-sadick/) > [The cruelty, war and violence, this is evil, wrong and dark and that's what we should hide from the children, not a human body!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lachapelle/the-cruelty-war-and-violence-this-is-evil-wrong-and-dark-and-that-s/) [David LaChapelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lachapelle/) > [The Greek people have gone through some very difficult times and there's still a hard road ahead, but despite those hardships, Greece has continued…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-greek-people-have-gone-through-some-very-difficult-times-and/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We reaffirm that on days like this, there are no Republicans or Democrats. We are Americans, united in concern for our fellow citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-reaffirm-that-on-days-like-this-there-are-no-republicans-or/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Solitude does not pull us away from our fellow human beings but instead makes real fellowship possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/solitude-does-not-pull-us-away-from-our-fellow-human-beings-but/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Take a young man from Gaza living in the most horrendous conditions - most of it imposed by Israel - who straps dynamite around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-said/take-a-young-man-from-gaza-living-in-the-most-horrendous-conditions/) [Edward Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-said/) > [Lower your gaze because you become less of a human every time you stare at a woman and you stare at her like she's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nouman-ali-khan/lower-your-gaze-because-you-become-less-of-a-human-every-time-you/) [Nouman Ali Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nouman-ali-khan/) > [Understanding of our fellow human beings...becomes fruitful only when it is sustained by sympathetic feelings in joy and sorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/understanding-of-our-fellow-human-beings-becomes-fruitful-only-when/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [ The report \[by a UN commission on Darfur\] demonstrates beyond all doubt that the last two years have been little short of hell on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/the-report-by-a-un-commission-on-darfur-demonstrates-beyond-all-doubt/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [A warrior can be injured but not offended. For a warrior there is nothing offensive about the acts of her fellow human beings, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-spencer/a-warrior-can-be-injured-but-not-offended-for-a-warrior-there-is/) [Robert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-spencer/) > [If you take the the insults of your fellow human beings personally, you will be offended for the rest of your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/if-you-take-the-the-insults-of-your-fellow-human-beings-personally/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) ## More by Barack Obama > [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/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More Evil quotes > [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I do conscientiously and sincerely believe that the Order of Freemasonry, if not the greatest, is one of the greatest moral and political evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-do-conscientiously-and-sincerely-believe-that-the-order-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [What is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-is-done-out-of-love-always-takes-place-beyond-good-and-evil/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Evil cannot be "treated" -- nor should it be. Evil has to \[be\] confronted and destroyed and it matters not why the evil is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/evil-cannot-be-treated-nor-should-it-be-evil-has-to-be-confronted-and/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [The evil which does me no harm is like the good which in no wise avails me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-evil-which-does-me-no-harm-is-like-the-good-which-in-no-wise/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/attack-the-evil-that-is-within-yourself-rather-than-attacking-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nayler/there-is-a-spirit-which-i-feel-that-delights-to-do-no-evil-nor-to/) James Nayler > [The politician attempts to remedy the evil by increasing the very thing that caused the evil in the first place: legal plunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-politician-attempts-to-remedy-the-evil-by-increasing-the-very/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [“Water is so friendly when you have it on your palms, but so evil when they have you on theirs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/water-is-so-friendly-when-you-have-it-on-your-palms-but-so-evil-when/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [THE ART OF PEACE is not easy. It is a fight to the finish, the slaying of evil desires and all falsehood within. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/the-art-of-peace-is-not-easy-it-is-a-fight-to-the-finish-the-slaying/) [Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/) [Browse all 11,163 Evil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We may never understand what leads anybody to terrorize their fellow human beings. Such violence, such evil is senseless. It's beyond reason.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-may-never-understand-what-leads-anybody-to-terrorize-their-fellow/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Evil" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-may-never-understand-what-leads-anybody-to-terrorize-their-fellow/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/442/barack-obama-17_evil_we-may-never-understand-what-leads-anybo_110021.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/442/barack-obama-17_evil_we-may-never-understand-what-leads-anybo_110021.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/442/barack-obama-17_evil_we-may-never-understand-what-leads-anybo_110021.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We may never understand what leads anybody to terrorize their fellow human beings. Such violence, such evil…” — Barack Obama", "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": "Barack Obama", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We may never understand what leads...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-may-never-understand-what-leads-anybody-to-terrorize-their-fellow/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-may-never-understand-what-leads-anybody-to-terrorize-their-fellow/#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 } } ] } ```