--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think every big town should contain…" description: "\"“I think every big town should contain artificial waterfalls that people could descend in very fragile canoes, and they should contain bathing pools fu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/bertrand-russell-69_preventive-war_i-think-every-big-town-should-contain-ar_233446.jpg" --- # I think every big town should contain artificial… ![“I think every big town should contain artificial waterfalls that people could descend in very fragile canoes, and they should contain bathing pools full of mechanical sharks. Any person found advocating a preventive war should be condemned to two hours a day with these ingenious monsters.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/bertrand-russell-69_preventive-war_i-think-every-big-town-should-contain-ar_233446.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/bertrand-russell-69_preventive-war_i-think-every-big-town-should-contain-ar_233446.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/bertrand-russell-69_preventive-war_i-think-every-big-town-should-contain-ar_233446.jpg) > ““I think every big town should contain artificial waterfalls that people could descend in very fragile canoes, and they should contain bathing pools full of mechanical sharks. Any person found advocating a preventive war should be condemned to two hours a day with these ingenious monsters.”” [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Russell imagines a satirical, dystopian punishment using absurd mechanical hazards to mock those who promote war. **In simple terms:** He proposes ridiculous punishments for war advocates. Key Takeaway Use satire to critique militarism. Themes war satire punishment politics humanity Mood irry critical thought‑provoking Type satirical philosophical When to use this quote - political debates - peace activism - literary analysis Key Concepts dystopia absurdism ethical critique Questions to Reflect On - How can satire effectively deter war rhetoric? - What are the limits of absurd punishment? A Different Perspective The idea is impractical and overly fantastical. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artificial Waterfalls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artificial-waterfalls-2357054/) [Canoes Contain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/canoes-contain-2357056/) [Fragile Canoes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fragile-canoes-2357057/) [Preventive war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preventive-war/) [Waterfalls People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waterfalls-people-2357055/) ## Related quotes > [I'd like to see a more aggressive attitude on the part of the United States. That doesn't mean launching an immediate preventive war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-lemay/i-d-like-to-see-a-more-aggressive-attitude-on-the-part-of-the-united/) [Curtis LeMay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-lemay/) > [Dollars and guns are no substitutes for brains and will power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/dollars-and-guns-are-no-substitutes-for-brains-and-will-power/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [I am against preventive war because it means measures by the UN against us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moshe-sharett/i-am-against-preventive-war-because-it-means-measures-by-the-un/) [Moshe Sharett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moshe-sharett/) > [When people speak to you about a preventive war, you tell them to go and fight it. After my experience, I have come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/when-people-speak-to-you-about-a-preventive-war-you-tell-them-to-go-2/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [When people speak to you about a preventive war, you tell them to go and fight it. After my experience, I have come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-david-eisenhower/when-people-speak-to-you-about-a-preventive-war-you-tell-them-to-go/) [Dwight David Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-david-eisenhower/) > [Another term for preventive war is aggressive war - starting wars because someday somebody might do something to us. That is not part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/another-term-for-preventive-war-is-aggressive-war-starting-wars/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [“It appears utterly impossible that the United States will start a “preventive war.” We will fight when attacked, either directly or in a territory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-usher/it-appears-utterly-impossible-that-the-united-states-will-start-a/) [Shaun Usher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-usher/) > [Possibly my hatred of war blinds me so that I cannot comprehend the arguments they adduce. But, in my opinion, there is no such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/possibly-my-hatred-of-war-blinds-me-so-that-i-cannot-comprehend-the/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [“Bismarck once said, ‘Preventive war is like committing suicide out of fear of death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-luce/bismarck-once-said-preventive-war-is-like-committing-suicide-out-of/) [Edward Luce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-luce/) > [The target of preventive war must have several characteristics. It must be virtually defenceless; it must be important enough to be worth the trouble;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-target-of-preventive-war-must-have-several-characteristics-it/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Preventive war was an invention of Hitler. I would not even listen to anyone seriously that came and talked about such a thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/preventive-war-was-an-invention-of-hitler-i-would-not-even-listen-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is no more dangerous thing for a democracy than a foreign policy based on presidential preventive war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/there-is-no-more-dangerous-thing-for-a-democracy-than-a-foreign/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [A preventive war, to my mind, is an impossibility today. How could you have one if one of its features would be several cities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/a-preventive-war-to-my-mind-is-an-impossibility-today-how-could-you/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [Preventive war is like committing suicide out of fear of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/preventive-war-is-like-committing-suicide-out-of-fear-of-death/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [Preventive war is a crime not easily committed by a country that retains any traces of democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/preventive-war-is-a-crime-not-easily-committed-by-a-country-that/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) ## More by Bertrand Russell > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [That the world is in a bad shape is undeniable, but there is not the faintest reason in history to suppose that Christianity offers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/that-the-world-is-in-a-bad-shape-is-undeniable-but-there-is-not-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [All movements go too far.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/all-movements-go-too-far/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Those who advocate common usage in philosophy sometimes speak in a manner that suggests the mystique of the 'common man.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/those-who-advocate-common-usage-in-philosophy-sometimes-speak-in-a/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Such, in outline, but even more purposeless, more void of meaning, is the world which Science presents for our belief. Amid such a world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/such-in-outline-but-even-more-purposeless-more-void-of-meaning-is-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Dr. Arnold . . . the admired reformer of public schools, came across some cranks who thought it a mistake to flog boys. Anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/dr-arnold-the-admired-reformer-of-public-schools-came-across-some/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Of all evils of war the greatest is the purely spiritual evil: the hatred, the injustice, the repudiation of truth, the artificial conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/of-all-evils-of-war-the-greatest-is-the-purely-spiritual-evil-the/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Aristotle maintained that women have fewer teeth than men; although he was twice married, it never occurred to him to verify this statement by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/aristotle-maintained-that-women-have-fewer-teeth-than-men-although-he/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-an-opinion-contrary-to-your-own-makes-you-angry-that-is-a-sign/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I cannot escape from the conclusion that the great ages of progress have depended upon a small number of individuals of transcendent ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-cannot-escape-from-the-conclusion-that-the-great-ages-of-progress/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I think it would be just to say the most essential characteristic of mind is memory, using this word in its broadest sense to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/i-think-it-would-be-just-to-say-the-most-essential-characteristic-of/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [The newspapers at one time said that I was dead but after carefully examining the evidence I came to the conclusion that this statement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-newspapers-at-one-time-said-that-i-was-dead-but-after-carefully/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Persecution is used in theology, not in arithmetic, because in arithmetic there is knowledge, but in theology there is only opinion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/persecution-is-used-in-theology-not-in-arithmetic-because-in/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“Many orthodox people speak as though it were the business of sceptics to disprove received dogmas rather than of dogmatists to prove them. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/many-orthodox-people-speak-as-though-it-were-the-business-of-sceptics/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [There is no greater reason for children to honour parents than for parents to honour children except, that while the children are young, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/there-is-no-greater-reason-for-children-to-honour-parents-than-for/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Explore all 1,620 Bertrand Russell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) ## More Preventive war quotes > [I'd like to see a more aggressive attitude on the part of the United States. That doesn't mean launching an immediate preventive war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-lemay/i-d-like-to-see-a-more-aggressive-attitude-on-the-part-of-the-united/) [Curtis LeMay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-lemay/) > [Preventive war is like committing suicide out of fear of death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/preventive-war-is-like-committing-suicide-out-of-fear-of-death/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [A preventive war, to my mind, is an impossibility today. How could you have one if one of its features would be several cities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/a-preventive-war-to-my-mind-is-an-impossibility-today-how-could-you/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [There is no more dangerous thing for a democracy than a foreign policy based on presidential preventive war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/there-is-no-more-dangerous-thing-for-a-democracy-than-a-foreign/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Preventive war was an invention of Hitler. I would not even listen to anyone seriously that came and talked about such a thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/preventive-war-was-an-invention-of-hitler-i-would-not-even-listen-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The target of preventive war must have several characteristics. It must be virtually defenceless; it must be important enough to be worth the trouble;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-target-of-preventive-war-must-have-several-characteristics-it/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“Bismarck once said, ‘Preventive war is like committing suicide out of fear of death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-luce/bismarck-once-said-preventive-war-is-like-committing-suicide-out-of/) [Edward Luce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-luce/) > [Possibly my hatred of war blinds me so that I cannot comprehend the arguments they adduce. But, in my opinion, there is no such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/possibly-my-hatred-of-war-blinds-me-so-that-i-cannot-comprehend-the/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [“It appears utterly impossible that the United States will start a “preventive war.” We will fight when attacked, either directly or in a territory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-usher/it-appears-utterly-impossible-that-the-united-states-will-start-a/) [Shaun Usher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-usher/) > [Another term for preventive war is aggressive war - starting wars because someday somebody might do something to us. That is not part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/another-term-for-preventive-war-is-aggressive-war-starting-wars/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [When people speak to you about a preventive war, you tell them to go and fight it. After my experience, I have come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-david-eisenhower/when-people-speak-to-you-about-a-preventive-war-you-tell-them-to-go/) [Dwight David Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-david-eisenhower/) > [When people speak to you about a preventive war, you tell them to go and fight it. After my experience, I have come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/when-people-speak-to-you-about-a-preventive-war-you-tell-them-to-go-2/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [I am against preventive war because it means measures by the UN against us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moshe-sharett/i-am-against-preventive-war-because-it-means-measures-by-the-un/) [Moshe Sharett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moshe-sharett/) > [Dollars and guns are no substitutes for brains and will power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/dollars-and-guns-are-no-substitutes-for-brains-and-will-power/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [Preventive war is a crime not easily committed by a country that retains any traces of democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/preventive-war-is-a-crime-not-easily-committed-by-a-country-that/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) [Browse all 19 Preventive war quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preventive-war/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I think every big town should contain artificial waterfalls that people could descend in very fragile canoes, and they should contain bathing pools full of mechanical sharks. 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