--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Destruction and violence! How is the…" description: "\"“Destruction and violence! How is the ordinary man to know that the most violent element in society is ignorance; that its power of destruction is the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9d/emma-goldman-774_anarchism_destruction-and-violence-how-is-the-ordi_2967332.jpg" --- # Destruction and violence! How is the ordinary man to know… ![“Destruction and violence! How is the ordinary man to know that the most violent element in society is ignorance; that its power of destruction is the very thing Anarchism is combating? Nor is he aware that Anarchism, whose roots, as it were, are part of nature's forces, destroys, not healthful…” quote by Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9d/emma-goldman-774_anarchism_destruction-and-violence-how-is-the-ordi_2967332.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9d/emma-goldman-774_anarchism_destruction-and-violence-how-is-the-ordi_2967332.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9d/emma-goldman-774_anarchism_destruction-and-violence-how-is-the-ordi_2967332.jpg) > ““Destruction and violence! How is the ordinary man to know that the most violent element in society is ignorance; that its power of destruction is the very thing Anarchism is combating? Nor is he aware that Anarchism, whose roots, as it were, are part of nature's forces, destroys, not healthful tissue, but parasitic growths that feed on the life's essence of society. It is merely clearing the soil from weeds and sagebrush, that it may eventually bear healthy fruit.”” [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ignorance is the most destructive force, and anarchism seeks to remove parasitic elements that harm society, like clearing weeds to allow healthy growth. **In simple terms:** Ignorance harms; anarchism removes harmful parasites. Key Takeaway Identify and challenge ignorance in your community. Themes politics social change education activism Mood defiant hopeful critical Type political philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - community organizing - education reform - grassroots activism - public policy - media literacy Key Concepts Anarchism social health parasitic structures Questions to Reflect On - How does ignorance manifest in your environment? - What can be done to nurture healthy societal growth? A Different Perspective Anarchism can be misinterpreted as chaos rather than constructive cleansing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anarchism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anarchism/) [Destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destruction/) [Ignorance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ignorance/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Ordinary man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary-man/) ## Related quotes > [Destruction, violence, ravages, murder, are perpetrated by statute law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/destruction-violence-ravages-murder-are-perpetrated-by-statute-law/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [“Stoicism, hedonism, and anarchism are, at their roots, urges for control, for the ‘I’ to dominate the other, if not the world. Dependency on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-m-doran/stoicism-hedonism-and-anarchism-are-at-their-roots-urges-for-control/) T.M. Doran > [“I have often been asked why I maintained such a non-compromising antagonism to government and in what way I have found myself oppressed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/i-have-often-been-asked-why-i-maintained-such-a-non-compromising/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [“The political superstition is still holding sway over the hearts and minds of the masses, but the true lovers of liberty will have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/the-political-superstition-is-still-holding-sway-over-the-hearts-and/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [“I became alive once more. At the dances I was one of the most untiring and gayest. One evening a cousin of Sasha, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/i-became-alive-once-more-at-the-dances-i-was-one-of-the-most-untiring/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Anarchism aims to strip labor of its deadening, dulling aspect, of its gloom and compulsion. It aims to make work an instrument of joy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/anarchism-aims-to-strip-labor-of-its-deadening-dulling-aspect-of-its/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [The emotions of the ignorant man are continuously kept at a pitch by the most blood-curdling stories about Anarchism. Not a thing too outrageous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/the-emotions-of-the-ignorant-man-are-continuously-kept-at-a-pitch-by/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Anarchism is the only philosophy which brings to man the consciousness of himself; which maintains that God, the State, and society are non-existent, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/anarchism-is-the-only-philosophy-which-brings-to-man-the/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [“Anarchism proposes to rescue the self-respect and independence of the individual from all restraint and invasion by authority. Only in freedom can man grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/anarchism-proposes-to-rescue-the-self-respect-and-independence-of-the/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Anarchism, really stands for the liberation of the human mind from the dominion of religion; the liberation of the human body from the dominion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/anarchism-really-stands-for-the-liberation-of-the-human-mind-from-the/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Direct action is the logical, consistent method of Anarchism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/direct-action-is-the-logical-consistent-method-of-anarchism/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [I want freedom, the right to self-expression, everybody's right to beautiful, radiant things.' Anarchism meant that to me, and I would live it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/i-want-freedom-the-right-to-self-expression-everybody-s-right-to/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Poor human nature, what horrible crimes have been committed in thy name!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/poor-human-nature-what-horrible-crimes-have-been-committed-in-thy-name/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [“Anarchism alone stresses the importance of the individual, his possibilities and needs in a free society. Instead of telling him that he must fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/anarchism-alone-stresses-the-importance-of-the-individual-his/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [“Do not all theists insist that there can be no morality, no justice, honesty or fidelity without the belief in a Divine Power? Based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/do-not-all-theists-insist-that-there-can-be-no-morality-no-justice/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) ## More by Emma Goldman > [Poor human nature, what horrible crimes have been committed in thy name! All wars are wars among thieves who are too cowardly to fight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/poor-human-nature-what-horrible-crimes-have-been-committed-in-thy/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [“Do not all theists insist that there can be no morality, no justice, honesty or fidelity without the belief in a Divine Power? Based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/do-not-all-theists-insist-that-there-can-be-no-morality-no-justice/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Lack of fairness to an opponent is essentially a sign of weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/lack-of-fairness-to-an-opponent-is-essentially-a-sign-of-weakness/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Do not all theists insist that there can be no morality, no justice, honesty or fidelity without the belief in a Divine Power? Based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/do-not-all-theists-insist-that-there-can-be-no-morality-no-justice-2/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Only when human sorrows are turned into a toy with glaring colors will baby people become interested - for a while at least. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/only-when-human-sorrows-are-turned-into-a-toy-with-glaring-colors/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [More pernicious than the power of a dictator is that of a class; the most terrible - the tyranny of a majority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/more-pernicious-than-the-power-of-a-dictator-is-that-of-a-class-the/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Love, the strongest and deepest element in all life, the harbinger of hope, of joy, of ecstasy; love, the definer of all laws, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/love-the-strongest-and-deepest-element-in-all-life-the-harbinger-of/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Whether our reformers admit it or not, the economic and social inferiority of women is responsible for prostitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/whether-our-reformers-admit-it-or-not-the-economic-and-social/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [The free expression of the hopes and aspirations of a people is the greatest and only safety in a sane society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/the-free-expression-of-the-hopes-and-aspirations-of-a-people-is-the/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Someone has said that it requires less mental effort to condemn than to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/someone-has-said-that-it-requires-less-mental-effort-to-condemn-than/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [The persecution of the innovator and protestant has always been inspired by fear on the part of constituted authority of having its infallibility questioned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/the-persecution-of-the-innovator-and-protestant-has-always-been/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Order derived through submission and maintained by terror is not much of a safe guaranty; yet that is the only "order" that governments have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/order-derived-through-submission-and-maintained-by-terror-is-not-much/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Today is the parent of tomorrow. The present casts its shadow far into the future. That is the law of life, individual and social.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/today-is-the-parent-of-tomorrow-the-present-casts-its-shadow-far-into/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Salvation lies in an energetic march onward towards a brighter and clearer future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/salvation-lies-in-an-energetic-march-onward-towards-a-brighter-and/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [The more hideous the mental contortions, the greater the delight and bravos of the mass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/the-more-hideous-the-mental-contortions-the-greater-the-delight-and/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) [Explore all 368 Emma Goldman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) ## More Anarchism quotes > [I know one thing: that you can do a lot of things but if you don't educate people into conscious anarchism it gets frittered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/i-know-one-thing-that-you-can-do-a-lot-of-things-but-if-you-don-t/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [In morals as in politics anarchy is not for the weak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/in-morals-as-in-politics-anarchy-is-not-for-the-weak/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [Anarchism is a definite intellectual current in the life of our times, whose adherents advocate the abolition of economic monopolies and of all political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-rocker/anarchism-is-a-definite-intellectual-current-in-the-life-of-our-times/) [Rudolf Rocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-rocker/) > [“Do not all theists insist that there can be no morality, no justice, honesty or fidelity without the belief in a Divine Power? Based…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/do-not-all-theists-insist-that-there-can-be-no-morality-no-justice/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [“Does it follow that I reject all authority? Perish the thought. In the matter of boots, I defer to the authority of the bootmaker;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-bakunin/does-it-follow-that-i-reject-all-authority-perish-the-thought-in-the/) [Mikhail Bakunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-bakunin/) > [“An anarchist government somehow creates an impression in the hearts of citizens that no one cares.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/an-anarchist-government-somehow-creates-an-impression-in-the-hearts/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Anarchism as a political philosophy seeks to dissolve all forms of authority and power, and if possible, wishes their complete abolition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-marshall/anarchism-as-a-political-philosophy-seeks-to-dissolve-all-forms-of/) [Peter Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-marshall/) > [And now, what has Anarchism to say to all this, this bankruptcy of republicanism, this modern empire that has grown up on the ruins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltairine-de-cleyre/and-now-what-has-anarchism-to-say-to-all-this-this-bankruptcy-of/) [Voltairine de Cleyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltairine-de-cleyre/) > [I see anarchism as the theoretical ideal to which we are all gradually evolving to a point where everybody can tell the truth to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/i-see-anarchism-as-the-theoretical-ideal-to-which-we-are-all/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [Anarchists are opposed to violence; everyone knows that. The main plank of anarchism is the removal of violence from human relations. It is life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errico-malatesta/anarchists-are-opposed-to-violence-everyone-knows-that-the-main-plank/) [Errico Malatesta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errico-malatesta/) > [“They knew that their anarchism was the product of a very high civilization, of a complex diversified culture, of a stable economy and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/they-knew-that-their-anarchism-was-the-product-of-a-very-high/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [Anarchism means voluntary co-operation instead of forced participation. It means harmony and order in place of interference and disorder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-berkman/anarchism-means-voluntary-co-operation-instead-of-forced/) [Alexander Berkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-berkman/) > [The Anarchists are simply unterrified Jeffersonian Democrats. They believe that 'the best government is that which governs least,' and that which governs least is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-tucker/the-anarchists-are-simply-unterrified-jeffersonian-democrats-they/) [Benjamin Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-tucker/) > [We must therefore turn to history for enlightenment; here we find that none of the proclaimed anarchist groups correspond to the libertarian position, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/we-must-therefore-turn-to-history-for-enlightenment-here-we-find-that/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [“I became an anarchist very early on. Anarchism, in my mind, meant taking democracy seriously and organizing prefiguratively- that is, in a way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrej-gruba-i/i-became-an-anarchist-very-early-on-anarchism-in-my-mind-meant-taking/) [Andrej Grubačić](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrej-gruba-i/) [Browse all 388 Anarchism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anarchism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Destruction and violence! How is the ordinary man to know that the most violent element in society is ignorance; that its power of destruction is the very thing Anarchism is combating? Nor is he aware that Anarchism, whose roots, as it were, are part of nature's forces, destroys, not healthful tissue, but parasitic growths that feed on the life's essence of society. It is merely clearing the soil from weeds and sagebrush, that it may eventually bear healthy fruit.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Emma Goldman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/destruction-and-violence-how-is-the-ordinary-man-to-know-that-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anarchism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/destruction-and-violence-how-is-the-ordinary-man-to-know-that-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9d/emma-goldman-774_anarchism_destruction-and-violence-how-is-the-ordi_2967332.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9d/emma-goldman-774_anarchism_destruction-and-violence-how-is-the-ordi_2967332.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9d/emma-goldman-774_anarchism_destruction-and-violence-how-is-the-ordi_2967332.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Destruction and violence! How is the ordinary man to know that the most violent element in society is…” — Emma Goldman", "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": "Emma Goldman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Destruction and violence! How is the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/destruction-and-violence-how-is-the-ordinary-man-to-know-that-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/destruction-and-violence-how-is-the-ordinary-man-to-know-that-the/#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 } } ] } ```