--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People say to me, Hey, Bill, the war made…" description: "\"People say to me, Hey, Bill, the war made us feel better about ourselves. Really? What kind of people are these with such low self-esteem that they nee..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e26/bill-hicks-970_about-yourself_people-say-to-me-hey-bill-the-war-made-u_2593510.jpg" --- # People say to me, Hey, Bill, the war made us feel better… ![“People say to me, Hey, Bill, the war made us feel better about ourselves. Really? What kind of people are these with such low self-esteem that they need a war to feel better about themselves? May I suggest, instead of a war to feel better about yourself, perhaps... sit-ups? Maybe a fruit cup?…” quote by Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e26/bill-hicks-970_about-yourself_people-say-to-me-hey-bill-the-war-made-u_2593510.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e26/bill-hicks-970_about-yourself_people-say-to-me-hey-bill-the-war-made-u_2593510.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e26/bill-hicks-970_about-yourself_people-say-to-me-hey-bill-the-war-made-u_2593510.jpg) > “People say to me, Hey, Bill, the war made us feel better about ourselves. Really? What kind of people are these with such low self-esteem that they need a war to feel better about themselves? May I suggest, instead of a war to feel better about yourself, perhaps... sit-ups? Maybe a fruit cup? Eight glasses of water a day?” [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He mocks the notion that war improves self-worth, suggesting healthier coping mechanisms instead of violence. **In simple terms:** War isn’t a solution for low self-esteem. Key Takeaway Seek healthier ways to boost confidence. Themes war self-esteem coping humor Mood sarcastic critical reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal health - stress relief - exercise - nutrition Key Concepts psychology social critique Questions to Reflect On - What non‑violent habits could replace aggression? - How does humor reveal truth? A Different Perspective Violent conflict can have deep societal harm. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about-yourself/) [Esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/esteem/) [Fruit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fruit/) [Low self esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/low-self-esteem/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-esteem/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) ## Related quotes > [What kind of people are these with such low self-esteem that they need a war to feel better about themselves?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/what-kind-of-people-are-these-with-such-low-self-esteem-that-they/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [It would be hard to name a more certain sign of poor self-esteem than the need to perceive some other group as inferior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/it-would-be-hard-to-name-a-more-certain-sign-of-poor-self-esteem-than/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [I wasn't a good-looking child. I got screwed out of the genetic deal. My sister looks like a model. I think that's why I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-glaser/i-wasn-t-a-good-looking-child-i-got-screwed-out-of-the-genetic-deal/) [Nikki Glaser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-glaser/) > [I mumble sometimes when I have low esteem or when I need to speak up for myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-villasenor/i-mumble-sometimes-when-i-have-low-esteem-or-when-i-need-to-speak-up/) [Melissa Villasenor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-villasenor/) > [Our dependency makes slaves out of us, especially if this dependency is a dependency of our self-esteem. If you need encouragement, praise, pats on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-dependency-makes-slaves-out-of-us-especially-if-this-dependency/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have a giant ego and terrible self-esteem, so I need to hit the re-set button fairly regularly - to get into presence, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-have-a-giant-ego-and-terrible-self-esteem-so-i-need-to-hit-the-re/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [As actors, we tend to usually have some issues with self-esteem and some need for validation, and it takes awhile for that fear of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-helberg/as-actors-we-tend-to-usually-have-some-issues-with-self-esteem-and/) [Simon Helberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-helberg/) > [People with healthy self-esteem do not need to create pretend identities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/people-with-healthy-self-esteem-do-not-need-to-create-pretend/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [You can't let someone else lower your self-esteem, because that's what it is - self-esteem. You need to first love yourself before you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-harlow/you-can-t-let-someone-else-lower-your-self-esteem-because-that-s-what/) [Winnie Harlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-harlow/) > [Of all the judgments you make in life, none is as important as the one you make about yourself. The difference between low self-esteem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/of-all-the-judgments-you-make-in-life-none-is-as-important-as-the-one/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [Mitchell Sanders was right. For the common soldier, at least, war has the feel-the spiritual texture-of a great ghostly fog, thick and permanent. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/mitchell-sanders-was-right-for-the-common-soldier-at-least-war-has/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [It's understandable why someone would like their entertainment to provide an escape from modern day worries and the reality of war. We feel this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-vedder/it-s-understandable-why-someone-would-like-their-entertainment-to/) [Eddie Vedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-vedder/) > [Most people coming out of war feel lost and resentful. What had been a minute-to-minute confrontation with yourself, your struggle with what courage you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/most-people-coming-out-of-war-feel-lost-and-resentful-what-had-been-a/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [“They were having a good time, an adventure. That was January’s dominant impression of his companions in the 509th; despite all the bitching and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-turtledove/they-were-having-a-good-time-an-adventure-that-was-january-s-dominant/) [Harry Turtledove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-turtledove/) > [“the idea of facing down the god of war made me feel incontinent”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-chance/the-idea-of-facing-down-the-god-of-war-made-me-feel-incontinent/) [Karen Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-chance/) ## More by Bill Hicks > [ 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/) > [not all drugs are good.. some of them are great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/not-all-drugs-are-good-some-of-them-are-great/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [If you don't think drugs have done good things for us, then take all of your records, tapes and CD's and burn them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/if-you-don-t-think-drugs-have-done-good-things-for-us-then-take-all/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [I don't do drugs anymore... than, say, the average touring funk band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-don-t-do-drugs-anymore-than-say-the-average-touring-funk-band/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [How many people disapprove of the job the Conservatives are doing? Seventy percent. Of those same people, how many will vote for them again?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/how-many-people-disapprove-of-the-job-the-conservatives-are-doing/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [BTW A 24 week old embryo is not a human being. You're not a human being until you're in my phone book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/btw-a-24-week-old-embryo-is-not-a-human-being-you-re-not-a-human/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [Christianity has a built-in defense system: anything that questions a belief, no matter how logical the argument is, is the work of Satan by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/christianity-has-a-built-in-defense-system-anything-that-questions-a/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [I'm just trying to rid the world of all these fevered egos that are tainting our collective unconscious...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-m-just-trying-to-rid-the-world-of-all-these-fevered-egos-that-are/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [I was told when I grew up I could be anything I wanted: a fireman, a policeman, a doctor – even President, it seemed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-was-told-when-i-grew-up-i-could-be-anything-i-wanted-a-fireman-a/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [Good comedy helps people know they're not alone. Great comedy provides an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/good-comedy-helps-people-know-they-re-not-alone-great-comedy-provides/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [People ask me what I think about that woman priest thing. What, a woman priest? Women priests. Great, great. Now there's priests of both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/people-ask-me-what-i-think-about-that-woman-priest-thing-what-a-woman/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [Oh sorry, I was taking life seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/oh-sorry-i-was-taking-life-seriously/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [I can't watch TV longer than five minutes without praying for nuclear holocaust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-can-t-watch-tv-longer-than-five-minutes-without-praying-for-nuclear/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [I'm not really a heavy smoker any more. I only get through two lighters a day now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-m-not-really-a-heavy-smoker-any-more-i-only-get-through-two/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [You watch the news these days? It's unbelievable. You think you just walk out your door, you're immediately gonna be raped by some crack-addicted,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/you-watch-the-news-these-days-it-s-unbelievable-you-think-you-just/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) [Explore all 317 Bill Hicks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) ## More About yourself quotes > [“they all have always loved you Will Herondale, for you cannot hide what is good about yourself, however har you try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/they-all-have-always-loved-you-will-herondale-for-you-cannot-hide/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [If you can't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/if-you-can-t-love-yourself-how-in-the-hell-you-gonna-love-somebody/) [RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/) > [People are in denial all the time, hiding things. If I tell you a racist or dirty joke and you laugh, you're telling me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-landau/people-are-in-denial-all-the-time-hiding-things-if-i-tell-you-a/) [Martin Landau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-landau/) > [Change your thoughts, change your life. —LAO TZU When I was fighting depression, I remember hearing this expression and not understanding it at first.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/change-your-thoughts-change-your-life-lao-tzu-when-i-was-fighting/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [Dreams really tell you about yourself more than anything else in this world could ever tell you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-browne/dreams-really-tell-you-about-yourself-more-than-anything-else-in-this/) [Sylvia Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-browne/) > [Celebrate all the things you don't like about yourself. love yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gaga/celebrate-all-the-things-you-don-t-like-about-yourself-love-yourself/) [Lady Gaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gaga/) > [Start enjoying the things you like about yourself, and if there are things you want to change, either get to work on it or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benji-madden/start-enjoying-the-things-you-like-about-yourself-and-if-there-are/) [Benji Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benji-madden/) > [Always be yourself. There's only one you. You should embrace anything that you don't like about yourself because that's individual and that's you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesy-nelson/always-be-yourself-there-s-only-one-you-you-should-embrace-anything/) [Jesy Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesy-nelson/) > [It's too distracting to read about yourself. You want to be perfect and you want everyone to love you, and that's never going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saoirse-ronan/it-s-too-distracting-to-read-about-yourself-you-want-to-be-perfect/) [Saoirse Ronan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saoirse-ronan/) > [If you want to know how to make people shun you and laugh at you behind your back and even despise you, here is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/if-you-want-to-know-how-to-make-people-shun-you-and-laugh-at-you/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > [The only thing a master can teach is how to learn about yourself. There are no secrets. They are only techniques to waken yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-jodorowsky/the-only-thing-a-master-can-teach-is-how-to-learn-about-yourself/) [Alejandro Jodorowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-jodorowsky/) > [I don't want to sell myself short. You hurt your spouse, not so much by the infidelity, but by the negative feelings about yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-zaslow/i-don-t-want-to-sell-myself-short-you-hurt-your-spouse-not-so-much-by/) [Michael Zaslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-zaslow/) > [A stranger can see in an instant something in you that you might spend years learning about yourself. How awful we all are when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-elliott/a-stranger-can-see-in-an-instant-something-in-you-that-you-might/) [Stephen Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-elliott/) > [Knowing is the most profound kind of love, giving someone the gift of knowledge about yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsha-norman/knowing-is-the-most-profound-kind-of-love-giving-someone-the-gift-of/) [Marsha Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsha-norman/) > [Start telling the truth now and never stop. Begin by telling the truth to yourself about yourself. Then tell the truth to yourself about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/start-telling-the-truth-now-and-never-stop-begin-by-telling-the-truth/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) [Browse all 770 About yourself quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about-yourself/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People say to me, Hey, Bill, the war made us feel better about ourselves. Really? What kind of people are these with such low self-esteem that they need a war to feel better about themselves? May I suggest, instead of a war to feel better about yourself, perhaps... sit-ups? Maybe a fruit cup? Eight glasses of water a day?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bill Hicks" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/people-say-to-me-hey-bill-the-war-made-us-feel-better-about-ourselves/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About yourself" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/people-say-to-me-hey-bill-the-war-made-us-feel-better-about-ourselves/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e26/bill-hicks-970_about-yourself_people-say-to-me-hey-bill-the-war-made-u_2593510.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e26/bill-hicks-970_about-yourself_people-say-to-me-hey-bill-the-war-made-u_2593510.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e26/bill-hicks-970_about-yourself_people-say-to-me-hey-bill-the-war-made-u_2593510.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People say to me, Hey, Bill, the war made us feel better about ourselves. Really? What kind of people are…” — Bill Hicks", "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": "Bill Hicks", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "People say to me, Hey, Bill,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/people-say-to-me-hey-bill-the-war-made-us-feel-better-about-ourselves/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/people-say-to-me-hey-bill-the-war-made-us-feel-better-about-ourselves/#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 } } ] } ```