--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Very few people choose war. They choose…" description: "\"Very few people choose war. They choose selfishness and the result was war.\" — David Dellinger" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/813/david-dellinger-10905_choose_very-few-people-choose-war-they-choose-s_1175766.jpg" --- # Very few people choose war. They choose selfishness and… ![“Very few people choose war. They choose selfishness and the result was war.” quote by David Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/813/david-dellinger-10905_choose_very-few-people-choose-war-they-choose-s_1175766.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/813/david-dellinger-10905_choose_very-few-people-choose-war-they-choose-s_1175766.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/813/david-dellinger-10905_choose_very-few-people-choose-war-they-choose-s_1175766.jpg) > “Very few people choose war. They choose selfishness and the result was war.” [David Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dellinger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. War stems from selfish motives; few choose it directly, but selfishness leads to conflict. **In simple terms:** War is driven by selfishness. Key Takeaway Address selfish motives to prevent conflict. Themes war selfishness conflict Mood critical analytical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - policy making - negotiations - community building Key Concepts political science ethics Questions to Reflect On - What selfish desires fuel larger conflicts? - How can societies promote collective well‑being? A Different Perspective Self‑interest can be rationalized as self‑preservation, complicating accountability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Selfishness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfishness/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“Selfishness may result in one's sense of superiority, but life as such will surely deny them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eraldo-banovac/selfishness-may-result-in-one-s-sense-of-superiority-but-life-as-such/) [Eraldo Banovac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eraldo-banovac/) > [Oh, but Masha, can’t you see? You are. An Ivan has come. That is like saying, Midnight has struck. It is time for bed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/oh-but-masha-can-t-you-see-you-are-an-ivan-has-come-that-is-like/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“Because if you see people as enemies or obstacles or traps, you will be at constant war with them and with yourself. Whereas if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/because-if-you-see-people-as-enemies-or-obstacles-or-traps-you-will/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“How then to enforce peace? Not by reason, certainly, nor by education. If a man could not look at the fact of peace and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/how-then-to-enforce-peace-not-by-reason-certainly-nor-by-education-if-2/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [How then to enforce peace? Not by reason, certainly, nor by education. If a man could not look at the fact of peace and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/how-then-to-enforce-peace-not-by-reason-certainly-nor-by-education-if/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [Peace is not a dream; peace is an option! You either choose peace and prove that you are clever and angelic, or choose war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/peace-is-not-a-dream-peace-is-an-option-you-either-choose-peace-and/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“No one is so senseless as to choose of his own will war rather than peace, since in peace the sons bury their fathers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/no-one-is-so-senseless-as-to-choose-of-his-own-will-war-rather-than/) [Herodotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/) > [No one would be foolish enough to choose war over peace--in peace sons bury their fathers, but in war fathers bury their sons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/croesus-of-lydia/no-one-would-be-foolish-enough-to-choose-war-over-peace-in-peace-sons/) Croesus Of Lydia > [Churchill says the Government had to choose between war and shame. They chose shame. They will get war, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/churchill-says-the-government-had-to-choose-between-war-and-shame/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [Barack Obama has done more than anyone else to promote the dangerous illusion that we can choose whether to have a war or not.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/barack-obama-has-done-more-than-anyone-else-to-promote-the-dangerous/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [The government had to choose between war and shame. They chose shame. They will get war too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-government-had-to-choose-between-war-and-shame-they-chose-shame/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [The American people have decided that it was a mistake to choose to go to war in Iraq.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raul-grijalva/the-american-people-have-decided-that-it-was-a-mistake-to-choose-to/) [Raul Grijalva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raul-grijalva/) > [“He asked, 'Croesus, who told you to attack my land and meet me as an enemy instead of a friend?' The King replied, 'It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herodotus/he-asked-croesus-who-told-you-to-attack-my-land-and-meet-me-as-an/) [Herodotus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herodotus/) > [“I choose the war”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-choose-the-war/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [So many times in television, you get cancelled arbitrarily as a result of your ratings in the off season, and you don't have an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-wyle/so-many-times-in-television-you-get-cancelled-arbitrarily-as-a-result/) [Noah Wyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-wyle/) ## More by David Dellinger > [The Yippies, their lifestyle is different from mine. But I consider Jerry Rubin and Abbie Hoffman inspired critics of the kind of society that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/the-yippies-their-lifestyle-is-different-from-mine-but-i-consider/) [David Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dellinger/) > [In prison, the gloves were off, the comforting rhetoric and rationalization were absent. To use a phrase from Plato, I saw the laws of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/in-prison-the-gloves-were-off-the-comforting-rhetoric-and/) [David Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dellinger/) > [This is my wish for you: peace of mind, prosperity through the year, happiness that multiplies, health for you and yours, fun around every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/this-is-my-wish-for-you-peace-of-mind-prosperity-through-the-year/) [David Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dellinger/) > [The first time I ever came to Washington was to visit Calvin Coolidge in the White House with my father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/the-first-time-i-ever-came-to-washington-was-to-visit-calvin-coolidge/) [David Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dellinger/) > [Charlie Parker said, 'Jazz comes from who you are, where you've been, what you've done. If you don't live it, it won't come out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/charlie-parker-said-jazz-comes-from-who-you-are-where-you-ve-been/) [David Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dellinger/) > [Very few people chose war. They chose selfishness and the result was war. Each of us, individually and nationally, must choose: total love or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/very-few-people-chose-war-they-chose-selfishness-and-the-result-was/) [David Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dellinger/) > [I believe that the United States has no possible ability to pacify the Vietnamese people, win support for Thieu, win a political victory or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/i-believe-that-the-united-states-has-no-possible-ability-to-pacify/) [David Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dellinger/) > [It's my perception that more people are actively committed to human familyhood today, and to a holistic relationship with the natural universe, than at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/it-s-my-perception-that-more-people-are-actively-committed-to-human/) [David Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dellinger/) > [I'm against military methods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/i-m-against-military-methods/) [David Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dellinger/) > [We have to face up to the fact that five administrations have lied to us about Vietnam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/we-have-to-face-up-to-the-fact-that-five-administrations-have-lied-to/) [David Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dellinger/) > [“Our experience of the governments of the world, our knowledge of the weapons at their disposal, and our awareness of our own limitations justify…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/our-experience-of-the-governments-of-the-world-our-knowledge-of-the/) [David Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dellinger/) > [Hemingway was a big influence - 'A Farewell to Arms,' though I disapproved of the later Hemingway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/hemingway-was-a-big-influence-a-farewell-to-arms-though-i-disapproved/) [David Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dellinger/) > [“Hiroshima and Nagasaki were atomized at a time when the Japanese were suing desperately for peace. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/hiroshima-and-nagasaki-were-atomized-at-a-time-when-the-japanese-were/) [David Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dellinger/) > [The arrogance of power must be undermined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/the-arrogance-of-power-must-be-undermined/) [David Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dellinger/) > [All I have to do is look at a child's smile to keep going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/all-i-have-to-do-is-look-at-a-child-s-smile-to-keep-going/) [David Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dellinger/) [Explore all 62 David Dellinger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dellinger/) ## More Choose quotes > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [If somebody asks me to choose a biopic, it would be Narain Karthikeyan because I love racing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naga-chaitanya/if-somebody-asks-me-to-choose-a-biopic-it-would-be-narain-karthikeyan/) [Naga Chaitanya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naga-chaitanya/) > [“Either you soften your ego, or the world will do it for you. Choose!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-mccoy/either-you-soften-your-ego-or-the-world-will-do-it-for-you-choose/) [Bert McCoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bert-mccoy/) > [I'm aware of who I am and I'm comfortable with who I choose to date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shibani-dandekar/i-m-aware-of-who-i-am-and-i-m-comfortable-with-who-i-choose-to-date/) [Shibani Dandekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shibani-dandekar/) > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [If you choose to work at a larger company over a smaller company, you are more likely to be higher paid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-sweet/if-you-choose-to-work-at-a-larger-company-over-a-smaller-company-you/) [Julie Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-sweet/) > [You can't choose what stays and what stays away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/you-can-t-choose-what-stays-and-what-stays-away/) [Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/) > [It's only a thought and a thought can be changed. Choose good ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/it-s-only-a-thought-and-a-thought-can-be-changed-choose-good-ones/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime...so you gotta choose who is good for you! Be wise, be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-come-into-your-life-for-a-reason-a-season-or-a-lifetime-so-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not opposed - we manufacture a lot of socks in North Carolina - I just choose not to wear them. It's a Southern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-burr/i-m-not-opposed-we-manufacture-a-lot-of-socks-in-north-carolina-i/) [Richard Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-burr/) > [Having too many options is bad. I want one person, just one. Not a whole bunch to choose from,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roderickthefirst/having-too-many-options-is-bad-i-want-one-person-just-one-not-a-whole/) RoderickTheFirst > [If I could be anyone, I'd choose the lead singer of Arcade Fire, Win Butler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-kardashian/if-i-could-be-anyone-i-d-choose-the-lead-singer-of-arcade-fire-win/) [Rob Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-kardashian/) > [People are as happy as they choose to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/people-are-as-happy-as-they-choose-to-be/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) Browse all 3,851 Choose quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Very few people choose war. They choose selfishness and the result was war.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Dellinger" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/very-few-people-choose-war-they-choose-selfishness-and-the-result-was/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choose" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/very-few-people-choose-war-they-choose-selfishness-and-the-result-was/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/813/david-dellinger-10905_choose_very-few-people-choose-war-they-choose-s_1175766.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/813/david-dellinger-10905_choose_very-few-people-choose-war-they-choose-s_1175766.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/813/david-dellinger-10905_choose_very-few-people-choose-war-they-choose-s_1175766.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Very few people choose war. They choose selfishness and the result was war.” — David Dellinger", "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": "David Dellinger", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dellinger/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Very few people choose war. They...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/very-few-people-choose-war-they-choose-selfishness-and-the-result-was/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/very-few-people-choose-war-they-choose-selfishness-and-the-result-was/#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 } } ] } ```