--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We destroy icons - that's what we do." description: "\"We destroy icons - that's what we do.\" — Eric Idle" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/eric-idle-3734_destroy_we-destroy-icons-that-s-what-we-do-70878_708781.jpg" --- # We destroy icons - that's what we do. ![“We destroy icons - that's what we do.” quote by Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/eric-idle-3734_destroy_we-destroy-icons-that-s-what-we-do-70878_708781.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/eric-idle-3734_destroy_we-destroy-icons-that-s-what-we-do-70878_708781.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/eric-idle-3734_destroy_we-destroy-icons-that-s-what-we-do-70878_708781.jpg) > “We destroy icons - that's what we do.” [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The statement suggests that destroying revered symbols or idols is an inherent human tendency, reflecting a pattern of challenging or rejecting established authority. **In simple terms:** People tend to dismantle revered symbols. Key Takeaway Question why we reject icons. Themes iconoclasm culture psychology Mood critical thoughtful Type philosophical social When to use this quote - cultural critique - historical analysis Key Concepts power structures social change media influence Questions to Reflect On - Why do we feel compelled to destroy icons? - What are the consequences of such actions? A Different Perspective Iconoclasm can erode shared values. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Destroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroy/) [Destroy Icons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroy-icons-2941963/) [Icons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/icons/) ## Related quotes > [I like to believe that rather than destroy icons, I make new ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andres-serrano/i-like-to-believe-that-rather-than-destroy-icons-i-make-new-ones/) [Andres Serrano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andres-serrano/) > [My beauty icon is Angelina Jolie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-benson/my-beauty-icon-is-angelina-jolie/) [Ashley Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-benson/) > [All I want to do is be a gay icon. I was reading Lady Gaga's twitter, because she has like 12 million followers, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/all-i-want-to-do-is-be-a-gay-icon-i-was-reading-lady-gaga-s-twitter/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > ["You're a sex icon." Why? Because I played a vampire in a movie? It's all very unearned. If I had the best freaking abs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellan-lutz/you-re-a-sex-icon-why-because-i-played-a-vampire-in-a-movie-it-s-all/) [Kellan Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellan-lutz/) > [You can never take too much care over the choice of your shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-dior/you-can-never-take-too-much-care-over-the-choice-of-your-shoes/) [Christian Dior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-dior/) > [Jerry Garcia was one of the original American icons. He played naturally and beautifully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ornette-coleman/jerry-garcia-was-one-of-the-original-american-icons-he-played/) [Ornette Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ornette-coleman/) > [My style icons are Leigh Lezark, Gwen Stefani and Shirley Manson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-and-the-diamonds/my-style-icons-are-leigh-lezark-gwen-stefani-and-shirley-manson/) [Marina and the Diamonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-and-the-diamonds/) > [Wisdom is a living stream, not an icon to be preserved in a museum. Only when a practitioner finds the spring of wisdom in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/wisdom-is-a-living-stream-not-an-icon-to-be-preserved-in-a-museum/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [The SF genre, of course, is really an organically evolved, marketplace-determined, idiosyncratic grab bag of themes and signifiers and characters and icons and gadgets,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-di-filippo/the-sf-genre-of-course-is-really-an-organically-evolved-marketplace/) [Paul Di Filippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-di-filippo/) > [My icons do not raise up the blessed savior in elaborate cathedrals. They are constructed concentrations celebrating barren rooms. They bring a limited light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-flavin/my-icons-do-not-raise-up-the-blessed-savior-in-elaborate-cathedrals/) [Dan Flavin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-flavin/) > [On the news that the Tsar had sent the troops icons to boost their morals, General Dragomirov quipped: 'The Japanese are beating us with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orlando-figes/on-the-news-that-the-tsar-had-sent-the-troops-icons-to-boost-their/) [Orlando Figes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orlando-figes/) > [We segregate men from women, and no matter how many times we insist that men and women are equal, men and women should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-j-t-mitchell/we-segregate-men-from-women-and-no-matter-how-many-times-we-insist/) [W. J. T. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-j-t-mitchell/) > [What makes a gay icon is someone who possesses both masculine and feminine qualities simultaneously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/what-makes-a-gay-icon-is-someone-who-possesses-both-masculine-and/) [RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/) > [My style icon is anyone who makes a bloody effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-blow/my-style-icon-is-anyone-who-makes-a-bloody-effort/) [Isabella Blow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-blow/) > [There are so many great artists, I think, who kind of suffer from being icons, legends, acknowledged masters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/there-are-so-many-great-artists-i-think-who-kind-of-suffer-from-being/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) ## More by Eric Idle > [“Life's a piece of shit, when you look at it, life's a laugh and deat's a joke, it's true: You'll se it's all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/life-s-a-piece-of-shit-when-you-look-at-it-life-s-a-laugh-and-deat-s/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [Having little money to spend was a valuable learning experience. My schooling also shaped my work ethic because while other children were listening to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/having-little-money-to-spend-was-a-valuable-learning-experience-my/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [Americans like to think 'Python' is how English people really are. There is an element of truth to that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/americans-like-to-think-python-is-how-english-people-really-are-there/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [ If you're famous, you have to \[be overly generous\], otherwise people say, "Eric Idle came in and only left me $4." I always tip… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/if-you-re-famous-you-have-to-be-overly-generous-otherwise-people-say/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [At least in America, you have freedom of speech, which is a good thing. It's just a question of whether you're allowed to use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/at-least-in-america-you-have-freedom-of-speech-which-is-a-good-thing/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [You look just like you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/you-look-just-like-you/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [Many years ago I also bought a house in Provence for about 70,000 francs. It had no electricity or running water, and no road…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/many-years-ago-i-also-bought-a-house-in-provence-for-about-70-000/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [No day of my life passes without someone saying the words 'Monty Python' to me. It's not bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/no-day-of-my-life-passes-without-someone-saying-the-words-monty/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [“sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will make me cry by myself in a corner for hours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/sticks-and-stones-will-break-my-bones-but-words-will-make-me-cry-by/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [I believe in the separation of church and planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/i-believe-in-the-separation-of-church-and-planet/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [I've got soggy thighs. It must be dinner time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/i-ve-got-soggy-thighs-it-must-be-dinner-time/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [At least one way of measuring the freedom of any society is the amount of comedy that is permitted, and clearly a healthy society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/at-least-one-way-of-measuring-the-freedom-of-any-society-is-the/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [The Minister of Transport issued this appeal to motorists: Can anyone give him a lift to Leicester?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/the-minister-of-transport-issued-this-appeal-to-motorists-can-anyone/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [I think the special thing about Python is that it's a writers' commune. The writers are in charge. The writers decide what the material…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/i-think-the-special-thing-about-python-is-that-it-s-a-writers-commune/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [ There's no gap between the writer and the performer, which is what I think makes \[Monty\] Python unique. Five or six people who write… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/there-s-no-gap-between-the-writer-and-the-performer-which-is-what-i/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) [Explore all 122 Eric Idle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) ## More Destroy quotes > [“That would be just like me-ruin everything, destroy the world, in a moment of klutziness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/that-would-be-just-like-me-ruin-everything-destroy-the-world-in-a/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [We shall fight against them, throw them in prisons and destroy them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/we-shall-fight-against-them-throw-them-in-prisons-and-destroy-them/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [We do not know which irresponsible Israeli prime minister will take office and decide to use nuclear weapons in the struggle against neighboring Arab…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordechai-vanunu/we-do-not-know-which-irresponsible-israeli-prime-minister-will-take/) [Mordechai Vanunu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordechai-vanunu/) > [How could you justify giving Holland twice the amount of money that you gave Belgium? Well, finally, I put it up to them. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/how-could-you-justify-giving-holland-twice-the-amount-of-money-that/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [“He who can destroy a thing has the real control of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/he-who-can-destroy-a-thing-has-the-real-control-of-it/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Destroy gossip by ignoring it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariane-corbito/destroy-gossip-by-ignoring-it/) [Mariane Corbito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariane-corbito/) > [When I became successful, I put up a caution. I didn't think it was fair to have the shadow of that kind of success…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-redford/when-i-became-successful-i-put-up-a-caution-i-didn-t-think-it-was/) [Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-redford/) > [The greatest of all crimes are the wars that are carried on by governments, to plunder, enslave, and destroy mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysander-spooner/the-greatest-of-all-crimes-are-the-wars-that-are-carried-on-by/) [Lysander Spooner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysander-spooner/) > [“Put that thing down, girl. Don't you know it steals part of your soul, that little mechanical masterpiece you hold so frivolously? Don't you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-noelle-long/put-that-thing-down-girl-don-t-you-know-it-steals-part-of-your-soul/) [Shannon Noelle Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-noelle-long/) > [In a democracy, the one thing that cannot be done is to destroy its trust, its hope, its idealism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-heinz/in-a-democracy-the-one-thing-that-cannot-be-done-is-to-destroy-its/) [Teresa Heinz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-heinz/) > [Just a reminder, if you tell anyone about what happened with Jonah last night, I'll destroy all of my writing and never play music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/just-a-reminder-if-you-tell-anyone-about-what-happened-with-jonah/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [We will not waste 30 years of our lives dealing with extremist ideas; we will destroy them today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammad-bin-salman/we-will-not-waste-30-years-of-our-lives-dealing-with-extremist-ideas/) [Mohammad bin Salman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammad-bin-salman/) > [We will defend ourselves, and we have full rights to do so. If the authorities try to destroy us, we have the right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-udaltsov/we-will-defend-ourselves-and-we-have-full-rights-to-do-so-if-the/) [Sergei Udaltsov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-udaltsov/) > [You destroy my life then feed me inspirational philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/you-destroy-my-life-then-feed-me-inspirational-philosophy/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [There are seven things that will destroy us, Wealth without work, Pleasure without conscience, Knowledge without character, Religion without sacrifice, Politics without principle, Science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coldheart/there-are-seven-things-that-will-destroy-us-wealth-without-work/) [Coldheart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coldheart/) [Browse all 1,229 Destroy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We destroy icons - that's what we do.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eric Idle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/we-destroy-icons-that-s-what-we-do/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Destroy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/we-destroy-icons-that-s-what-we-do/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/eric-idle-3734_destroy_we-destroy-icons-that-s-what-we-do-70878_708781.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/eric-idle-3734_destroy_we-destroy-icons-that-s-what-we-do-70878_708781.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c9/eric-idle-3734_destroy_we-destroy-icons-that-s-what-we-do-70878_708781.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We destroy icons - that's what we do.” — Eric Idle", "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": "Eric Idle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We destroy icons - that's what...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/we-destroy-icons-that-s-what-we-do/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/we-destroy-icons-that-s-what-we-do/#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 } } ] } ```