--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Kill first, ask questions of the corpse…" description: "\"“Kill first, ask questions of the corpse later”\" — G.A. Aiken" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adf/g-a-aiken-1894_ask-questions_kill-first-ask-questions-of-the-corpse-l_2521216.jpg" --- # Kill first, ask questions of the corpse later ![“Kill first, ask questions of the corpse later” quote by G.A. Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adf/g-a-aiken-1894_ask-questions_kill-first-ask-questions-of-the-corpse-l_2521216.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adf/g-a-aiken-1894_ask-questions_kill-first-ask-questions-of-the-corpse-l_2521216.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/adf/g-a-aiken-1894_ask-questions_kill-first-ask-questions-of-the-corpse-l_2521216.jpg) > ““Kill first, ask questions of the corpse later”” [G.A. Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-aiken/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A ruthless approach that prioritizes decisive action over inquiry, suggesting that outcomes justify the means. **In simple terms:** Act first, ask later. Key Takeaway Consider consequences before acting. Themes power morality decisionmaking Mood tense critical Type ethical strategic When to use this quote - military operations - business negotiations - emergency response - personal conflicts Key Concepts utilitarianism realpolitik Questions to Reflect On - Is it ever justified to act without full information? - What are the risks of acting impulsively? A Different Perspective May lead to unethical outcomes or regret. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing/) ## Related quotes > [“She released him and Kleitos rubbed his neck, glaring at the two guards outside her door. “And you do nothing?” he demanded. Demetrius shrugged.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-a-aiken/she-released-him-and-kleitos-rubbed-his-neck-glaring-at-the-two/) [G.A. Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-aiken/) > [“I need someone I can count on. Until recently, you were the most reliable of us all. I sincerely hope that hasn’t changed for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-a-aiken/i-need-someone-i-can-count-on-until-recently-you-were-the-most/) [G.A. Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-aiken/) > [“You certainly are Lord Know-It-All this evening, aren’t you?” “Only when necessary. 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How surprised he would be to see how his counterpart of today is whisked off to a funeral parlor and is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-mitford/alas-poor-yorick-how-surprised-he-would-be-to-see-how-his-counterpart/) [Jessica Mitford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-mitford/) > [“You and I are victims of the same disease. 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AND THEY EAT ME ALIVE. FEED ON MY CORPSE INSTEAD.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-giles/words-are-teeth-and-they-eat-me-alive-feed-on-my-corpse-instead/) [Gail Giles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-giles/) ## More by G.A. Aiken > [“Do you not listen to our daily meetings about the state of your lands?” “Of course I don’t. They’re dead boring.” “Not everything can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-a-aiken/do-you-not-listen-to-our-daily-meetings-about-the-state-of-your-lands/) [G.A. Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-aiken/) > [“Normally, I’d lie and connive and do whatever necessary to make you take me into the south.” “But …” More tears began to flow.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-a-aiken/normally-i-d-lie-and-connive-and-do-whatever-necessary-to-make-you/) [G.A. Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-aiken/) > [“I didn’t think it was possible — but this situation has managed to get worse.” “But you’re so calm,” she observed. “That’s usually when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-a-aiken/i-didn-t-think-it-was-possible-but-this-situation-has-managed-to-get/) [G.A. Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-aiken/) > [“I’m Queen Rhiannon, but you can call me Queen Rhiannon.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-a-aiken/i-m-queen-rhiannon-but-you-can-call-me-queen-rhiannon/) [G.A. Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-aiken/) > [“Like Mum and that bastard.” “You mean Da?” “Call him what you like.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-a-aiken/like-mum-and-that-bastard-you-mean-da-call-him-what-you-like/) [G.A. Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-aiken/) > [“Briec removed his clothes and slipped into bed with her, wrapping his arms around her waist and snuggling her from behind. “Izzy?” “That’s just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-a-aiken/briec-removed-his-clothes-and-slipped-into-bed-with-her-wrapping-his/) [G.A. Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-aiken/) > [“An unhappy Briec is an unhappy universe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-a-aiken/an-unhappy-briec-is-an-unhappy-universe/) [G.A. Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-aiken/) > [“You bet against your own son?” “Just like you, the boy doesn’t pay attention. And seeing that she’s just like her mother, he didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-a-aiken/you-bet-against-your-own-son-just-like-you-the-boy-doesn-t-pay/) [G.A. Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-aiken/) > [“You, dragon, are the most—” “Amazing being you’ve ever met.” It wasn’t a question from him. It was a statement. “I was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-a-aiken/you-dragon-are-the-most-amazing-being-you-ve-ever-met-it-wasn-t-a/) [G.A. Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-aiken/) > [“You have strong thighs and are very, um, handsome.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-a-aiken/you-have-strong-thighs-and-are-very-um-handsome/) [G.A. Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-aiken/) > [“You bastard! Let me down!" "Not on your life, beauty." The godlen claw gripped her tighter. "You get hurt, he'll kill me. Now quiet.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-a-aiken/you-bastard-let-me-down-not-on-your-life-beauty-the-godlen-claw/) [G.A. Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-aiken/) > [“. “And I stole some oxen jerky out of Bercelak’s bag. He makes the best oxen jerky.” “Bercelak the Vengeful cooks?” “Aye. And he’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-a-aiken/and-i-stole-some-oxen-jerky-out-of-bercelak-s-bag-he-makes-the-best/) [G.A. Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-aiken/) > [“The bastard was effectively stuck until he and Morfyd helped him. Fearghus smiled a little at his father’s suffering and the female who caused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-a-aiken/the-bastard-was-effectively-stuck-until-he-and-morfyd-helped-him/) [G.A. Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-aiken/) > [“Found naked with a few of his grandfather’s kitchen maids? His father’s claw right to the back of the head. Suggest that when his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-a-aiken/found-naked-with-a-few-of-his-grandfather-s-kitchen-maids-his-father/) [G.A. Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-aiken/) > [“What’s wrong with him?” “Nothing. He’s just. . just. .” “Just what?” “A peacemaker.” And she’d dropped her voice to a whisper. “What would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-a-aiken/what-s-wrong-with-him-nothing-he-s-just-just-just-what-a-peacemaker/) [G.A. Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-aiken/) [Explore all 198 G.A. Aiken quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-a-aiken/) ## More Ask questions quotes > [“What about you? What do you do?” I needed to ask questions, draw him out. I needed to find out all the information I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-avery-ellison/what-about-you-what-do-you-do-i-needed-to-ask-questions-draw-him-out/) [Kate Avery Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-avery-ellison/) > [I was allowed to believe things that weren't true and I would ask questions about them and talk about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-taylor-greene/i-was-allowed-to-believe-things-that-weren-t-true-and-i-would-ask/) [Marjorie Taylor Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-taylor-greene/) > [We in US need active intelligence: people being on the streets, people being able to stop and ask questions of individuals that they suspect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-guilfoyle/we-in-us-need-active-intelligence-people-being-on-the-streets-people/) [Kimberly Guilfoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-guilfoyle/) > [“Love first; ask questions later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-courtney/love-first-ask-questions-later/) [Jeremy Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-courtney/) > [What makes us human, I think, is an ability to ask questions, a consequence of our sophisticated spoken language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/what-makes-us-human-i-think-is-an-ability-to-ask-questions-a/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [“you do that all the time you know. you ask me questions when you know the answer will piss you off. ask me a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/you-do-that-all-the-time-you-know-you-ask-me-questions-when-you-know/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [I feel really strongly about not wanting to overly guide the reader about what he or she should think. I really trust the reader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/i-feel-really-strongly-about-not-wanting-to-overly-guide-the-reader/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [For the most part, if somebody approaches me and says, 'I'd like to interview you,' who am I to say no, when I spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-roach/for-the-most-part-if-somebody-approaches-me-and-says-i-d-like-to/) [Mary Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-roach/) > [...all the answers are but waiting for us while we, poor fools, ask questions and wait for the secrets of God to open themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-asad/all-the-answers-are-but-waiting-for-us-while-we-poor-fools-ask/) [Muhammad Asad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-asad/) > [“It’s funny how the devout pretend like they want people to ask questions, but really they only want you to ask the questions that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tal-m-klein/it-s-funny-how-the-devout-pretend-like-they-want-people-to-ask/) [Tal M. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tal-m-klein/) > [“This was a success in itself, but it came with an added and unexpected benefit: The act of thinking about the problem and responding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-catmull/this-was-a-success-in-itself-but-it-came-with-an-added-and-unexpected/) [Ed Catmull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-catmull/) > [I feel like a good director provokes you to ask questions about your character, but doesn't answer them for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-reed/i-feel-like-a-good-director-provokes-you-to-ask-questions-about-your/) [Crystal Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-reed/) > [“You ask questions. You take your life seriously, but you don't take yourself too seriously. You're going to take over the world, and change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/you-ask-questions-you-take-your-life-seriously-but-you-don-t-take/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) > [The most subversive people are those who ask questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/the-most-subversive-people-are-those-who-ask-questions/) [Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/) > [Rules for texting a girl: 1. Don't take 40 minutes to reply. 2. Use good grammar. 3. Ask Questions. 4. Use the :) face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rules-for-texting-a-girl-1-don-t-take-40-minutes-to-reply-2-use-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 828 Ask questions quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Kill first, ask questions of the corpse later”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "G.A. 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