--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The biggest farce of man's history has…" description: "\"The biggest farce of man's history has been the argument that wars are fought to save civilization.\" — Charles E. McKenzie" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/959/charles-e-mckenzie-30375_argument_the-biggest-farce-of-man-s-history-has-b_236035.jpg" --- # The biggest farce of man's history has been the argument… ![“The biggest farce of man's history has been the argument that wars are fought to save civilization.” quote by Charles E. McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/959/charles-e-mckenzie-30375_argument_the-biggest-farce-of-man-s-history-has-b_236035.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/959/charles-e-mckenzie-30375_argument_the-biggest-farce-of-man-s-history-has-b_236035.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/959/charles-e-mckenzie-30375_argument_the-biggest-farce-of-man-s-history-has-b_236035.jpg) > “The biggest farce of man's history has been the argument that wars are fought to save civilization.” [Charles E. McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-e-mckenzie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The claim that wars protect civilization is a false justification that masks deeper motives and consequences. **In simple terms:** War is not truly about saving civilization. Key Takeaway Question the true motives behind war. Themes war civilization morality politics Mood critical skeptical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - political debate - historical analysis - media critique - peace activism Key Concepts Justification power dynamics ethical paradox Questions to Reflect On - What interests are truly served by war? - How does this view change our perception of conflict? A Different Perspective War often involves complex economic and power interests beyond stated ideals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Argument](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/argument/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [History is, indeed, an argument without end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/history-is-indeed-an-argument-without-end/) [Arthur M. 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Old stuff,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-hoffert/this-history-argument-holds-absolutely-no-weight-with-my-dad-he-s-not/) Melanie Hoffert > [We should lay aside every hindrance and endeavour by uniting the whole force and spirit of our people to raise again a great British…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/we-should-lay-aside-every-hindrance-and-endeavour-by-uniting-the/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [“But I won’t watch them go to war again. I’ve been to war, you know, to save civilization from the reptile hordes. I bled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-k-morgan/but-i-won-t-watch-them-go-to-war-again-i-ve-been-to-war-you-know-to/) [Richard K. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-k-morgan/) > [Modern prophets say that our economics have failed us. No! It is not our economics which have failed; it is man who has failed-man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/modern-prophets-say-that-our-economics-have-failed-us-no-it-is-not/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [You don't fight to protect warships or old men. Like the book says, you fight to save your civilization. And so often it seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-michener/you-don-t-fight-to-protect-warships-or-old-men-like-the-book-says-you/) [James A. Michener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-michener/) > [Saving Greenland is both a metaphor and a precondition for saving civilization. If its ice sheet melts, sea levels will rise 23 feet. Hundreds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-r-brown/saving-greenland-is-both-a-metaphor-and-a-precondition-for-saving/) [Lester R. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-r-brown/) > [I think women can save civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-murphy/i-think-women-can-save-civilization/) [Emily Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-murphy/) > [Christ did not come to civilize. He came to save. Civilization is not the solution; it does not destroy the works of the devil.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arno-c-gaebelein/christ-did-not-come-to-civilize-he-came-to-save-civilization-is-not/) [Arno C. Gaebelein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arno-c-gaebelein/) > [Fortunately, at the last hour, there were always a few soldiers to save Civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-spengler/fortunately-at-the-last-hour-there-were-always-a-few-soldiers-to-save/) [Oswald Spengler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-spengler/) > [Wars are fought for the benefit of oligarchs, triumphs bought with the blood of peons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/wars-are-fought-for-the-benefit-of-oligarchs-triumphs-bought-with-the/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of the men who follow and of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-patton/wars-may-be-fought-with-weapons-but-they-are-won-by-men-it-is-the/) [George S. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-patton/) ## More by Charles E. 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McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-e-mckenzie/) > [Schoolteachers are not fully appreciated by parents until it rains all day Saturday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-e-mckenzie/schoolteachers-are-not-fully-appreciated-by-parents-until-it-rains/) [Charles E. McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-e-mckenzie/) > [Advice is like mushrooms. The wrong kind can prove fatal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-e-mckenzie/advice-is-like-mushrooms-the-wrong-kind-can-prove-fatal/) [Charles E. McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-e-mckenzie/) > [Etc. is a perfect word-when you can't think of the right one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-e-mckenzie/etc-is-a-perfect-word-when-you-can-t-think-of-the-right-one/) [Charles E. McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-e-mckenzie/) > [Free advice is often overpriced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-e-mckenzie/free-advice-is-often-overpriced/) [Charles E. McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-e-mckenzie/) > [Education helps you earn more. But not many schoolteachers can prove it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-e-mckenzie/education-helps-you-earn-more-but-not-many-schoolteachers-can-prove-it/) [Charles E. McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-e-mckenzie/) > [Playing golf is like raising children. You keep thinking you'll do better next time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-e-mckenzie/playing-golf-is-like-raising-children-you-keep-thinking-you-ll-do/) [Charles E. McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-e-mckenzie/) > [The courage to speak must be matched by the wisdom to listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-e-mckenzie/the-courage-to-speak-must-be-matched-by-the-wisdom-to-listen/) [Charles E. McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-e-mckenzie/) > [There is always something to be thankful for. If you can't pay your bills, you can be thankful you are not one of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-e-mckenzie/there-is-always-something-to-be-thankful-for-if-you-can-t-pay-your/) [Charles E. McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-e-mckenzie/) > [Nothing grieves a child more than to study the wrong lesson and learn something he wasn't suppose to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-e-mckenzie/nothing-grieves-a-child-more-than-to-study-the-wrong-lesson-and-learn/) [Charles E. McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-e-mckenzie/) > [It's a pleasure to give advice, humiliating to need it, normal to ignore it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-e-mckenzie/it-s-a-pleasure-to-give-advice-humiliating-to-need-it-normal-to/) [Charles E. McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-e-mckenzie/) > [People who recognize that money won't buy happiness are still willing to see if credit cards will do the trick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-e-mckenzie/people-who-recognize-that-money-won-t-buy-happiness-are-still-willing/) [Charles E. McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-e-mckenzie/) > [Nobody is sicker than the man who is sick on his day off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-e-mckenzie/nobody-is-sicker-than-the-man-who-is-sick-on-his-day-off/) [Charles E. McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-e-mckenzie/) [Explore all 17 Charles E. McKenzie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-e-mckenzie/) ## More Argument quotes > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. 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