--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: War is the enemy of civilization. We…" description: "\"“War is the enemy of civilization. We cannot grow through war, Xander. It drags us down, filling our hearts with hatred and thoughts of revenge.”\" — Da..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ee/david-gemmell-1821_enemy_war-is-the-enemy-of-civilization-we-cann_2764802.png" --- # War is the enemy of civilization. We cannot grow through… ![“War is the enemy of civilization. We cannot grow through war, Xander. It drags us down, filling our hearts with hatred and thoughts of revenge.” quote by David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ee/david-gemmell-1821_enemy_war-is-the-enemy-of-civilization-we-cann_2764802.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ee/david-gemmell-1821_enemy_war-is-the-enemy-of-civilization-we-cann_2764802.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ee/david-gemmell-1821_enemy_war-is-the-enemy-of-civilization-we-cann_2764802.png) > ““War is the enemy of civilization. We cannot grow through war, Xander. It drags us down, filling our hearts with hatred and thoughts of revenge.”” [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. War destroys civilization and fuels hatred, preventing societal progress and peace. **In simple terms:** War harms humanity and blocks advancement. Key Takeaway Promote peace and conflict resolution. Themes war civilization hatred revenge peace Mood somber thoughtful Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - diplomacy - peacebuilding - education - community dialogue Key Concepts ethical philosophy political theory human nature Questions to Reflect On - What alternatives to war can address deep grievances? - How does hatred perpetuate cycles of violence? A Different Perspective Some conflicts may be seen as necessary for change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Enemy Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy-civilization-3197671/) [Grow War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grow-war-3197673/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-enemy-245842/) [Xander Drags](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/xander-drags-3197672/) ## Related quotes > [Any government that chooses to be an ally of terror has also chosen to be an enemy of civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/any-government-that-chooses-to-be-an-ally-of-terror-has-also-chosen/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [No war is over until the enemy says it's over. We may think it over, we may declare it over, but in fact, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/no-war-is-over-until-the-enemy-says-it-s-over-we-may-think-it-over-we/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [America is at war. Our enemy is not violent extremism. It is not some unnamed malevolent force. It is radical Islamic terrorist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/america-is-at-war-our-enemy-is-not-violent-extremism-it-is-not-some/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [No war is over until the enemy says it's over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mattis/no-war-is-over-until-the-enemy-says-it-s-over/) [Jim Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mattis/) > [I was increasingly compelled to see the war as an enemy of the poor and to attack it as such.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/i-was-increasingly-compelled-to-see-the-war-as-an-enemy-of-the-poor/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“The starkest reality of war is that the enemy is never really a monster, never inhuman ... Every soldier is the same fallible breed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-goff/the-starkest-reality-of-war-is-that-the-enemy-is-never-really-a/) [Stan Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-goff/) > [It is the function of the Navy to carry the war to the enemy so that it will not be fought on U.S. soil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-w-nimitz/it-is-the-function-of-the-navy-to-carry-the-war-to-the-enemy-so-that-2/) [Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/) > [“The War is the enemy. It runs itself on the fears of the combatants. It is a machine into which men are put and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/the-war-is-the-enemy-it-runs-itself-on-the-fears-of-the-combatants-it/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [ \[Negro\] should realize that he is living in a war zone, and he is at war with an enemy that is as vicious and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/negro-should-realize-that-he-is-living-in-a-war-zone-and-he-is-at-war/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Winston could not definitely remember a time when his country had not been at war...war had literally been continuous, though strictly speaking it had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/winston-could-not-definitely-remember-a-time-when-his-country-had-not/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [War is the enemy of all mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-starr/war-is-the-enemy-of-all-mankind/) [Edwin Starr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-starr/) > [It is an approved maxim in war, never to do what the enemy wishes you to do, for this reason alone, that he desires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/it-is-an-approved-maxim-in-war-never-to-do-what-the-enemy-wishes-you/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [It is the function of the Navy to carry the war to the enemy so that it is not fought on U.S. soil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-w-nimitz/it-is-the-function-of-the-navy-to-carry-the-war-to-the-enemy-so-that/) [Chester W. Nimitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-w-nimitz/) > [I'm not surprised that people are unsettled because of war. The enemy has got a powerful tool, and that is to get on your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-m-not-surprised-that-people-are-unsettled-because-of-war-the-enemy/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) ## More by David Gemmell > [Do not complain of life's unfairness. It is never fair - at best it is impartial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/do-not-complain-of-life-s-unfairness-it-is-never-fair-at-best-it-is/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [“It seems to me, that you people spend a great deal of time talking about honour, but strip away the high sounding words and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/it-seems-to-me-that-you-people-spend-a-great-deal-of-time-talking/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [Makes no sense to me,' said Huntsekker. 'You don't know who is at your door, but you know the thoughts of a man twenty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/makes-no-sense-to-me-said-huntsekker-you-don-t-know-who-is-at-your/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [I may be stupid, as you say, to believe in honour and friendship and loyalty without price. But these are virtues to be cherished,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/i-may-be-stupid-as-you-say-to-believe-in-honour-and-friendship-and/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [When your life has been spent in one war after another for forty-five years, you have to be pretty handy to survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/when-your-life-has-been-spent-in-one-war-after-another-for-forty-five/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [When healers yearn to kill then hope begins to die ... Evil cannot be overcome by evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/when-healers-yearn-to-kill-then-hope-begins-to-die-evil-cannot-be/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [I have discovered in my long life that there are many words and phrases which have more power than any spell of magick. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/i-have-discovered-in-my-long-life-that-there-are-many-words-and/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [“Listen...You could spend a lifetime trying to understand the works of evil men. Their joys are not ours. They love to inflict pain, create…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/listen-you-could-spend-a-lifetime-trying-to-understand-the-works-of/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [ We are full of dreams \[...\] We long for the unattainable. We believe in the nonsense of fables. There is no pure love; there… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/we-are-full-of-dreams-we-long-for-the-unattainable-we-believe-in-the/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [It is easier with strangers, for they touch your life but for an instant. You will not disappoint them, for you owe them nothing;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/it-is-easier-with-strangers-for-they-touch-your-life-but-for-an/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [I don't know yet whether I fully believe in fate, but certain things do happen in a man's life that he cannot explain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/i-don-t-know-yet-whether-i-fully-believe-in-fate-but-certain-things/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [If you look at any ancient civilization, they've all used fantasy stories to train the young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/if-you-look-at-any-ancient-civilization-they-ve-all-used-fantasy/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [All men have talents. Some build, some paint, some write, some fight. For me it is different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/all-men-have-talents-some-build-some-paint-some-write-some-fight-for/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [“Never violate a woman, nor harm a child. Do not lie, cheat or steal. These things are for lesser men. Protect the weak against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/never-violate-a-woman-nor-harm-a-child-do-not-lie-cheat-or-steal/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [“The truth? What the Hell is the truth? We're born, we live and we die. Everything else is just shades of opinion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/the-truth-what-the-hell-is-the-truth-we-re-born-we-live-and-we-die/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) [Explore all 201 David Gemmell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) ## More Enemy quotes > [Shall there be truth between us, as two men? Not as friends, but as enemies and equals?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/shall-there-be-truth-between-us-as-two-men-not-as-friends-but-as/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Fear is a man's worst enemy, but love is a man's most powerful weapon against anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fear-is-a-man-s-worst-enemy-but-love-is-a-man-s-most-powerful-weapon/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... 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Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [To achieve victory we must mass our forces at the hub of all power & movement. The enemy's 'Center of Gravity'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-achieve-victory-we-must-mass-our-forces-at-the-hub-of-all-power/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't see why we and the Chinese should have to be enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-don-t-see-why-we-and-the-chinese-should-have-to-be-enemies/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [The invention of gunpowder and the constant improvement of firearms are enough in themselves to show that the advance of civilization has done nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/the-invention-of-gunpowder-and-the-constant-improvement-of-firearms/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Perfection is the enemy of greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/perfection-is-the-enemy-of-greatness/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [In this business, you find the enemy, then go after and destroy him. 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