--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was taught very early on that the state…" description: "\"I was taught very early on that the state can be, and is, a liar and a murderer.\" — Christopher Hitchens" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b6/christopher-hitchens-117_liars_i-was-taught-very-early-on-that-the-stat_1615090.jpg" --- # I was taught very early on that the state can be, and is… ![“I was taught very early on that the state can be, and is, a liar and a murderer.” quote by Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b6/christopher-hitchens-117_liars_i-was-taught-very-early-on-that-the-stat_1615090.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b6/christopher-hitchens-117_liars_i-was-taught-very-early-on-that-the-stat_1615090.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b6/christopher-hitchens-117_liars_i-was-taught-very-early-on-that-the-stat_1615090.jpg) > “I was taught very early on that the state can be, and is, a liar and a murderer.” [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The government often deceives and harms, acting contrary to its proclaimed ideals. **In simple terms:** Governments can be deceptive and violent. Key Takeaway Question authority and demand accountability. Themes politics trust ethics Mood critical defiant Type political philosophical When to use this quote - activism - journalism - public policy - education Key Concepts state power deception violence Questions to Reflect On - What evidence reveals state misconduct? - How can citizens protect themselves? A Different Perspective Some states provide essential services. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Liar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liar/) [Liars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liars/) [Murderer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murderer/) ## Related quotes > [And yet, anything real, anything strong, was never easy. She'd been taught from an early age that the things that mattered most were the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/and-yet-anything-real-anything-strong-was-never-easy-she-d-been/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [I wish the children could be taught early on that our thinking creates our experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-wish-the-children-could-be-taught-early-on-that-our-thinking/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Most people are taught from an early age on, to conceive of themselves as losers. They are taught that there are a very special…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/most-people-are-taught-from-an-early-age-on-to-conceive-of-themselves/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [My mother taught me early on not to be afraid to put myself out there - especially as a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-guilfoyle/my-mother-taught-me-early-on-not-to-be-afraid-to-put-myself-out-there/) [Kimberly Guilfoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-guilfoyle/) > [I was taught from a very early age that it was probably the most American thing you can do is to question what's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/i-was-taught-from-a-very-early-age-that-it-was-probably-the-most/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [I was taught very early on how you treat people is actually what matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-chertavian/i-was-taught-very-early-on-how-you-treat-people-is-actually-what/) [Gerald Chertavian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-chertavian/) > [My mother taught me very early to believe I could achieve any accomplishment I wanted to. The first was to walk without braces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilma-rudolph/my-mother-taught-me-very-early-to-believe-i-could-achieve-any/) [Wilma Rudolph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilma-rudolph/) > [Father was bold, and Mother was cautious. They never shouted at each other but argued constantly about strategy, and they taught me very early…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benoit-mandelbrot/father-was-bold-and-mother-was-cautious-they-never-shouted-at-each/) [Benoit Mandelbrot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benoit-mandelbrot/) > [Where crime is taught from early years, it becomes a part of nature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/where-crime-is-taught-from-early-years-it-becomes-a-part-of-nature/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [I'd been taught from an early age that I was in the 'other' category on the standardized tests. You know, I had to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-peele/i-d-been-taught-from-an-early-age-that-i-was-in-the-other-category-on/) [Jordan Peele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-peele/) > [Unfortunately, in some parts of the country, some kids are taught at an early age that being different is somehow bad or wrong or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-bomer/unfortunately-in-some-parts-of-the-country-some-kids-are-taught-at-an/) [Matt Bomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-bomer/) > [The Bible should be taught so early and so thoroughly that it sinks straight to the bottom of the mind where everything that comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/northrop-frye/the-bible-should-be-taught-so-early-and-so-thoroughly-that-it-sinks/) [Northrop Frye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/northrop-frye/) > [I was taught from a very early age that I had to work twice as hard to get half as much. That was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/i-was-taught-from-a-very-early-age-that-i-had-to-work-twice-as-hard/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [“I wasn't really going to go. I ain't so heartless I'm gonna let someone be struck down with pain on account of me. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-rose-clarke/i-wasn-t-really-going-to-go-i-ain-t-so-heartless-i-m-gonna-let/) [Cassandra Rose Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-rose-clarke/) > [Today I want to puke when I hear the word 'radical' applied so slothfully and stupidly to Islamist murderers; the most plainly reactionary people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/today-i-want-to-puke-when-i-hear-the-word-radical-applied-so/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) ## More by Christopher Hitchens > [“The spirit of our accurate and exact philosophy is outraged by conclusions that contradict each other so glaringly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-spirit-of-our-accurate-and-exact-philosophy-is-outraged-by/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Many governments employ torture but this was the first time that the element of Saturnalia and pornography in the process had been made so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/many-governments-employ-torture-but-this-was-the-first-time-that-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [ It's \[Los Angeles\] mostly full of nonsense and delusion and egomania. They think they'll be young and beautiful forever, even though most of them… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-los-angeles-mostly-full-of-nonsense-and-delusion-and-egomania/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [To be against rationalization is not the same as to be opposed to reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/to-be-against-rationalization-is-not-the-same-as-to-be-opposed-to/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [ \[Religion\] attacks us in our deepest integrity - the core of our self-respect. Religion says that we would not know right from wrong, we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/religion-attacks-us-in-our-deepest-integrity-the-core-of-our-self/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“In the very recent past, we have seen the Church of Rome befouled by its complicity with the unpardonable sin of child rape, or,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/in-the-very-recent-past-we-have-seen-the-church-of-rome-befouled-by/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's surprising to me how many of my friends send Christmas cards, or holiday cards, including my atheist and secular friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-surprising-to-me-how-many-of-my-friends-send-christmas-cards-or/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Suppose there were groups of secularists at hospitals who went round the terminally ill and urged them to adopt atheism: 'Don't be a mug…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/suppose-there-were-groups-of-secularists-at-hospitals-who-went-round/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [There are, after all, atheists who say they wish the fable were true but are unable to suspend the requisite disbelief, or who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/there-are-after-all-atheists-who-say-they-wish-the-fable-were-true/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“It isn’t so long since a test of Anglican orthodoxy was applied to anyone seeking to study or teach at Oxford and Cambridge universities.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-isn-t-so-long-since-a-test-of-anglican-orthodoxy-was-applied-to/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Gullibility and credulity are considered undesireable qualities in every department of human life - except religion ... Why are we praised by godly men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/gullibility-and-credulity-are-considered-undesireable-qualities-in/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's much worse to see a woman drunk than a man: I don't know quite why this is true but it just is. Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-much-worse-to-see-a-woman-drunk-than-a-man-i-don-t-know-quite/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's true that obscenity is a matter of taste and in the eye of the beholder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-true-that-obscenity-is-a-matter-of-taste-and-in-the-eye-of-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [I worked out early on to give up things I couldn't do well at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-worked-out-early-on-to-give-up-things-i-couldn-t-do-well-at-all/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Writing is what's important to me, and anything that helps me do that - or enhances and prolongs and deepens and sometimes intensifies argument…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/writing-is-what-s-important-to-me-and-anything-that-helps-me-do-that/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) [Explore all 1,241 Christopher Hitchens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) ## More Liar quotes > [I just speak the truth. I keep it real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlon-vera/i-just-speak-the-truth-i-keep-it-real/) [Marlon Vera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlon-vera/) > [Everybody is always like, 'You must be a really good liar,' and no, I'm actually a truth teller, and I'm telling someone else's truth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-sweeney/everybody-is-always-like-you-must-be-a-really-good-liar-and-no-i-m/) [Sydney Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-sweeney/) > [Even a liar tells a hundred truths to one lie; he has to, to make the lie good for anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/even-a-liar-tells-a-hundred-truths-to-one-lie-he-has-to-to-make-the/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [A liar freely gives his oath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-malloch/a-liar-freely-gives-his-oath/) [Douglas Malloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-malloch/) > [My whole life has been a lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-darin/my-whole-life-has-been-a-lie/) [Bobby Darin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-darin/) > [I think you are a liar because you think you know what is true. You think you feel what is true. But you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-croggon/i-think-you-are-a-liar-because-you-think-you-know-what-is-true-you/) [Alison Croggon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-croggon/) > [“The world is not fair, and often fools, cowards, liars and the selfish hide in high places. (p 57)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-world-is-not-fair-and-often-fools-cowards-liars-and-the-selfish/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [I love country music because it's honest - and I'm a terrible liar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maddie-marlow/i-love-country-music-because-it-s-honest-and-i-m-a-terrible-liar/) [Maddie Marlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maddie-marlow/) > [“I ripped the sketch from the wall. "Liar." Edward looked more ravaged than usual. "That is a terrible word, coming from you." "Yup." "And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-jensen/i-ripped-the-sketch-from-the-wall-liar-edward-looked-more-ravaged/) [Melissa Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-jensen/) > [“I wasn't sure which was worse - to know you were a liar or to believe your own bullshit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-cook/i-wasn-t-sure-which-was-worse-to-know-you-were-a-liar-or-to-believe/) [Eileen Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-cook/) > [I don't want to lie. Always, I want to be honest and I say,I don't think about tomorrow. I don't think about next season.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mauricio-pochettino/i-don-t-want-to-lie-always-i-want-to-be-honest-and-i-say-i-don-t/) [Mauricio Pochettino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mauricio-pochettino/) > [I can't lie. Even if they think I'm wrong. Even if they don't understand. Even if they think I'm crazy. I'm me. They're supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-can-t-lie-even-if-they-think-i-m-wrong-even-if-they-don-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [That's good; don't deny it. Denying the undeniable just makes you sound like a fool as well as a liar. In this profession, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/that-s-good-don-t-deny-it-denying-the-undeniable-just-makes-you-sound/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [And I, love, am a pathological liar,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/and-i-love-am-a-pathological-liar/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [Im starting to feel as though I should give up now to not risk what we have. keep silent what I want to speak.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaliyah-owens/im-starting-to-feel-as-though-i-should-give-up-now-to-not-risk-what/) [Aaliyah Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaliyah-owens/) [Browse all 1,187 Liar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liar/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was taught very early on that the state can be, and is, a liar and a murderer.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Christopher Hitchens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-was-taught-very-early-on-that-the-state-can-be-and-is-a-liar-and-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Liar" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-was-taught-very-early-on-that-the-state-can-be-and-is-a-liar-and-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b6/christopher-hitchens-117_liars_i-was-taught-very-early-on-that-the-stat_1615090.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b6/christopher-hitchens-117_liars_i-was-taught-very-early-on-that-the-stat_1615090.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b6/christopher-hitchens-117_liars_i-was-taught-very-early-on-that-the-stat_1615090.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was taught very early on that the state can be, and is, a liar and a murderer.” — Christopher Hitchens", "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": "Christopher Hitchens", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was taught very early on...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-was-taught-very-early-on-that-the-state-can-be-and-is-a-liar-and-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-was-taught-very-early-on-that-the-state-can-be-and-is-a-liar-and-a/#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 } } ] } ```