Football Quote by Cormac McCarthy
““All other trades are contained in that of war. Is that why war endures? No. It endures because young men love it and old men love it in them. Those that fought, those that did not. That's your notion. The judge smiled. Men are born for games. Nothing else. Every child knows that play is nobler than work. He knows too that the worth or merit of a game is not inherent in the game itself but rather in the value of that which is put at hazard. Games of chance require a wager to have meaning at all. Games of sport involve the skill and strength of the opponents and the humiliation of defeat and the pride of victory are in themselves sufficient stake because they inhere in the worth of the principals and define them. But trial of chance or trial of worth all games aspire to the condition of war for here that which is wagered swallows up game, player, all.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy, 1985
War is a game that satisfies both youthful desire for conflict and older nostalgia, turning combat into a wager of honor and identity.
In simple terms: War is a game of honor and desire.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the underlying motives behind conflict.
Themes
war
human nature
honor
games
identity
Mood
grim
reflective
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- military training
- political negotiations
- team sports
- risk assessment
- conflict resolution
Key Concepts
Existentialism
psychology
sociology
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do societies glorify war?
- How does play shape adult behavior?
A Different Perspective
War also serves economic and political interests beyond personal desire.
![“If there is a God, He is infinitely incomprehensible, since, having, neither parts nor limits, He has no affinity to us. We are then incapable of knowing either what He is or if He is. [So] you must wager. Let us weigh the gain and the loss in wagering that God is. Let us estimate these two…” quote by Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/40c/blaise-pascal-167_affinity_if-there-is-a-god-he-is-infinitely-incom_664912.jpg)
