--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Wars have always been with us, as have…" description: "\"“Wars have always been with us, as have droughts. No, in the end, I think it will be greed that does us in. People will do anything for gold, even if i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c8/erica-verrillo-31643_greed_wars-have-always-been-with-us-as-have-dr_718255.jpg" --- # Wars have always been with us, as have droughts. No, in… ![“Wars have always been with us, as have droughts. No, in the end, I think it will be greed that does us in. People will do anything for gold, even if it means destroying one another. They'll even destroy themselves. They'll destroy the whole world if they think it will make them richer than the…” quote by Erica Verrillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c8/erica-verrillo-31643_greed_wars-have-always-been-with-us-as-have-dr_718255.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c8/erica-verrillo-31643_greed_wars-have-always-been-with-us-as-have-dr_718255.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c8/erica-verrillo-31643_greed_wars-have-always-been-with-us-as-have-dr_718255.jpg) > ““Wars have always been with us, as have droughts. No, in the end, I think it will be greed that does us in. People will do anything for gold, even if it means destroying one another. They'll even destroy themselves. They'll destroy the whole world if they think it will make them richer than the next man.”” [Erica Verrillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-verrillo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Greed drives humanity to destructive actions, even self‑destruction, in pursuit of wealth. **In simple terms:** Greed leads to ruin. Key Takeaway Beware greed's lure. Themes greed conflict human nature Mood cautionary somber Type philosophical warning When to use this quote - political negotiations - environmental policy - personal finance - corporate governance Key Concepts ethics psychology resource competition Questions to Reflect On - What personal choices reflect this warning? - How can societies curb greed? A Different Perspective Greed may be one of many motives, not the sole cause of war. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Greed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greed/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Whole world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-world/) ## Related quotes > [“Greed does not rest until it is satisfied, and greed is never satisfied”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-eastland/greed-does-not-rest-until-it-is-satisfied-and-greed-is-never-satisfied/) Sam Eastland > [“Who knows, perhaps the will to please leads people to crime as often as evil or greed does. People want to fit in and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lagercrantz/who-knows-perhaps-the-will-to-please-leads-people-to-crime-as-often/) [David Lagercrantz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lagercrantz/) > [Unlike others, I wear my gold at all times. That's why it's become my image and people call me the Gold Man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bappi-lahiri/unlike-others-i-wear-my-gold-at-all-times-that-s-why-it-s-become-my/) [Bappi Lahiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bappi-lahiri/) > [People find gold in fields, veins, river beds, and pockets. Whichever, it takes work to get it out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-linkletter/people-find-gold-in-fields-veins-river-beds-and-pockets-whichever-it/) [Art Linkletter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-linkletter/) > [“perhaps the will to please leads people to crime as often as evil or greed does. People want to fit in and do well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lagercrantz/perhaps-the-will-to-please-leads-people-to-crime-as-often-as-evil-or/) [David Lagercrantz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lagercrantz/) > [“I disagree. You want to bring back someone that you've lost. You might want money. Maybe you want women. Or, you might want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiromu-arakawa/i-disagree-you-want-to-bring-back-someone-that-you-ve-lost-you-might/) [Hiromu Arakawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiromu-arakawa/) > [I may say that I think greed about poetry is the only permissible greed - it is, indeed, unavoidable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-sitwell/i-may-say-that-i-think-greed-about-poetry-is-the-only-permissible/) [Edith Sitwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-sitwell/) > [Right now, the technological world plus God or spirituality is evolving. I think America has become a little bit too corrupt, government's a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/right-now-the-technological-world-plus-god-or-spirituality-is/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [I think greed is healthy. You can be greedy and still feel good about yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-boesky/i-think-greed-is-healthy-you-can-be-greedy-and-still-feel-good-about/) [Ivan Boesky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-boesky/) > [I think greed is a critical problem - the gap between the poor and the rich. The gap between the top 10 percent and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rogers/i-think-greed-is-a-critical-problem-the-gap-between-the-poor-and-the/) [Richard Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rogers/) > [Greed may not be good, but it’s not so bad either. You humans think greed is just for money or power, but everyone wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiromu-arakawa/greed-may-not-be-good-but-it-s-not-so-bad-either-you-humans-think/) [Hiromu Arakawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiromu-arakawa/) > [Greed is all right, by the way... I think greed is healthy. You can be greedy and still feel good about yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-f-boesky/greed-is-all-right-by-the-way-i-think-greed-is-healthy-you-can-be/) Ivan F Boesky > [For what will it profit men that a more prudent distribution and use of riches make it possible for them to gain even the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-pius-xi/for-what-will-it-profit-men-that-a-more-prudent-distribution-and-use/) [Pope Pius XI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-pius-xi/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Stephanie could see the greed seep into the watery eyes of her father’s other brother, a horrible little man called Fergus, as he nodded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-landy/stephanie-could-see-the-greed-seep-into-the-watery-eyes-of-her-father/) [Derek Landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-landy/) ## More by Erica Verrillo > [“Authority is something that must be granted. As soon as people stop giving it, authority simply disappears. All they have to do is turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-verrillo/authority-is-something-that-must-be-granted-as-soon-as-people-stop/) [Erica Verrillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-verrillo/) > [“Sometimes wisdom is simply the ability to recognize the truth, and to speak you heart, in spite of everything you fear to be true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-verrillo/sometimes-wisdom-is-simply-the-ability-to-recognize-the-truth-and-to/) [Erica Verrillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-verrillo/) > [“Until we meet again. There are no goodbyes in this world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-verrillo/until-we-meet-again-there-are-no-goodbyes-in-this-world/) [Erica Verrillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-verrillo/) > [“His bark might be loud, but his bite was nonexistent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-verrillo/his-bark-might-be-loud-but-his-bite-was-nonexistent/) [Erica Verrillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-verrillo/) > [“Carefully, she inched her way around Billy and the woman until her view of the rooftops was unimpeded by pompous counts with their sarcastic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-verrillo/carefully-she-inched-her-way-around-billy-and-the-woman-until-her/) [Erica Verrillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-verrillo/) > [“I hear lots of things. Those silly hens never shut up. All day long it's 'grubs, eggs, grubs, eggs.' I could die of boredom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-verrillo/i-hear-lots-of-things-those-silly-hens-never-shut-up-all-day-long-it/) [Erica Verrillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-verrillo/) > [“And may my life be very long so that I will always be here to defend you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-verrillo/and-may-my-life-be-very-long-so-that-i-will-always-be-here-to-defend/) [Erica Verrillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-verrillo/) > [“Today, mistress, I will give you anything you desire. How about a tall, dark, handsome stranger? I'm sure I can find you one in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-verrillo/today-mistress-i-will-give-you-anything-you-desire-how-about-a-tall/) [Erica Verrillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-verrillo/) > [“Apparently I am more loathsome than a snake.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-verrillo/apparently-i-am-more-loathsome-than-a-snake/) [Erica Verrillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-verrillo/) > [“Nana always said 'He who will not follow the fates will be dragged by them.' West it is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-verrillo/nana-always-said-he-who-will-not-follow-the-fates-will-be-dragged-by/) [Erica Verrillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-verrillo/) > [“Your courage, generosity, and honesty are what make you the person you are. Peasant or princess, it doesn't matter, for you need nothing more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-verrillo/your-courage-generosity-and-honesty-are-what-make-you-the-person-you/) [Erica Verrillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-verrillo/) > [“Well, you can't turn a crow into a canary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-verrillo/well-you-can-t-turn-a-crow-into-a-canary/) [Erica Verrillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-verrillo/) > [“Go on with ye! I'd never take a carving knife to 'Lissa's dad. I'd use a cleaver.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-verrillo/go-on-with-ye-i-d-never-take-a-carving-knife-to-lissa-s-dad-i-d-use-a/) [Erica Verrillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-verrillo/) > [“Yer called Dock because yer old and gray and full o' splinters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-verrillo/yer-called-dock-because-yer-old-and-gray-and-full-o-splinters/) [Erica Verrillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-verrillo/) > [“It's amazing what a little bit of moisture can do. A little moisture and a whole lot of plants.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-verrillo/it-s-amazing-what-a-little-bit-of-moisture-can-do-a-little-moisture/) [Erica Verrillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-verrillo/) [Explore all 16 Erica Verrillo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-verrillo/) ## More Greed quotes > [Stephanie could see the greed seep into the watery eyes of her father’s other brother, a horrible little man called Fergus, as he nodded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-landy/stephanie-could-see-the-greed-seep-into-the-watery-eyes-of-her-father/) [Derek Landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-landy/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“THE UNFORGIVEN Tell me if you've ever had to deal with these kinds of people: The kind who take and don't give. The kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-unforgiven-tell-me-if-you-ve-ever-had-to-deal-with-these-kinds-of/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [The law is the collective organization of the individual's right to lawful defense of his life, liberty and property. When it is used for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-law-is-the-collective-organization-of-the-individual-s-right-to/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [“The fact that they viewed their wealth as a result of their own hands, without any honor other than lip service being given to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-goff/the-fact-that-they-viewed-their-wealth-as-a-result-of-their-own-hands/) [Lee Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-goff/) > [“Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/be-fearful-when-others-are-greedy-and-be-greedy-when-others-are/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [avarice breeds envy, a worm that is always gnawing, letting the avaricious enjoy neither their own nor anyone else's good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/avarice-breeds-envy-a-worm-that-is-always-gnawing-letting-the/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [“In a similar way, The Art of War pinpoints anger and greed as fundamental causes of defeat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/in-a-similar-way-the-art-of-war-pinpoints-anger-and-greed-as/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Who does not know that kings and rulers sprang from men who were ignorant of God, who assumed because of blind greed and intolerable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-gregory-vii/who-does-not-know-that-kings-and-rulers-sprang-from-men-who-were/) [Pope Gregory VII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-gregory-vii/) > [''And one day when all is gone and mankind is lost, all he leaves is the desert.'' ''For man is his own demise the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/and-one-day-when-all-is-gone-and-mankind-is-lost-all-he-leaves-is-the/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [“Wisdom teaches us that our real enemies are never other living beings. They are ignorance and its minions, including greed, hatred, anger, pride, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-newland/wisdom-teaches-us-that-our-real-enemies-are-never-other-living-beings/) Guy Newland > [“Suckers think that you cure greed with money, addiction with substances, expert problems with experts, banking with bankers, economics with economists, and debt crises…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/suckers-think-that-you-cure-greed-with-money-addiction-with/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [The universe appears to me like an immense, inexorable torture-garden…Passions, greed, hatred, and lies; social institutions, justice, love, glory, heroism, and religion: these are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octave-mirbeau/the-universe-appears-to-me-like-an-immense-inexorable-torture-garden/) [Octave Mirbeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octave-mirbeau/) > [“Thankfulness acknowledges that we can’t own anything, but we can experience everything. And just knowing that makes me thankful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/thankfulness-acknowledges-that-we-can-t-own-anything-but-we-can/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [Con men look for human frailty to exploit. This is most often greed. Trump found a different vice: anger. The emotional are always the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-meyer/con-men-look-for-human-frailty-to-exploit-this-is-most-often-greed/) [Pamela Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-meyer/) [Browse all 2,232 Greed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Wars have always been with us, as have droughts. No, in the end, I think it will be greed that does us in. People will do anything for gold, even if it means destroying one another. They'll even destroy themselves. 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