--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Of all the creatures that man kills for…" description: "\"Of all the creatures that man kills for his amusement there is only one that he kills out of hatred—other men. Man hates nothing as much as himself. Th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fe/halld-r-laxness-6935_amusement_of-all-the-creatures-that-man-kills-for_1600164.png" --- # Of all the creatures that man kills for his amusement… ![“Of all the creatures that man kills for his amusement there is only one that he kills out of hatred—other men. Man hates nothing as much as himself. That is why war is called the leprosy of the human soul.” quote by Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fe/halld-r-laxness-6935_amusement_of-all-the-creatures-that-man-kills-for_1600164.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fe/halld-r-laxness-6935_amusement_of-all-the-creatures-that-man-kills-for_1600164.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fe/halld-r-laxness-6935_amusement_of-all-the-creatures-that-man-kills-for_1600164.png) > “Of all the creatures that man kills for his amusement there is only one that he kills out of hatred—other men. Man hates nothing as much as himself. That is why war is called the leprosy of the human soul.” [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. War is a disease of humanity, rooted in self‑hatred and the killing of others for amusement. **In simple terms:** War stems from self‑hatred and killing for fun. Key Takeaway Recognize war’s dehumanizing nature. Themes war human nature violence Mood somber critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - conflict resolution - peace activism - education Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - What drives humans to kill for amusement? - How can societies reduce self‑hatred? A Different Perspective Addressing self‑hatred is complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amusement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amusement/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Hatred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hatred/) [Human soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-soul/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [So I would say God hates war, but God loves every soldier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/so-i-would-say-god-hates-war-but-god-loves-every-soldier/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [The man who hates war more than he hates the Nazis is a wicked man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-friedman/the-man-who-hates-war-more-than-he-hates-the-nazis-is-a-wicked-man/) [George Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-friedman/) > [Women need attention, therefore women will complain, develop hatred for men and say that youre the one to blame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/women-need-attention-therefore-women-will-complain-develop-hatred-for-3/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is not the criminals who arouse the hatred of others, but the men who are honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/it-is-not-the-criminals-who-arouse-the-hatred-of-others-but-the-men/) [Jose Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/) > [Women need attention therefore women will complain, develop hatred for men and say your the one to blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/women-need-attention-therefore-women-will-complain-develop-hatred-for-2/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [If any man says he hates war more than I do, he better have a knife, that's all I have to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/if-any-man-says-he-hates-war-more-than-i-do-he-better-have-a-knife/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [“He felt that he could not turn aside from himself the hatred of men, because that hatred did not come from his being bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-felt-that-he-could-not-turn-aside-from-himself-the-hatred-of-men/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [No one hates war like a soldier hates war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-franks/no-one-hates-war-like-a-soldier-hates-war/) [Tommy Franks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-franks/) > [Everyone hates war, everyone says.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/everyone-hates-war-everyone-says/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [A generation that hates war will not bring peace. A generation that loves peace will bring peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/a-generation-that-hates-war-will-not-bring-peace-a-generation-that/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [In affability there is no hatred of men, but for that very reason there is all too much contempt for men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/in-affability-there-is-no-hatred-of-men-but-for-that-very-reason/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“The stories Scheherazade told were, each of them, interesting enough to the man she told them to that they stayed, for a day, his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-stories-scheherazade-told-were-each-of-them-interesting-enough-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Marriage is better than leprosy only because it's easier to get rid of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields/marriage-is-better-than-leprosy-only-because-it-s-easier-to-get-rid-of/) [W. C. Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields/) > [The conscience of the world is so guilty that it always assumes that people who investigate heresies must be heretics; just as if a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleister-crowley/the-conscience-of-the-world-is-so-guilty-that-it-always-assumes-that/) [Aleister Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleister-crowley/) > [“It wasn’t that she necessarily wanted to “socialize” at the bonfire, but she wanted to broadcast to the general population that her antisocial behavior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-stroube/it-wasn-t-that-she-necessarily-wanted-to-socialize-at-the-bonfire-but/) [J.D. Stroube](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-stroube/) ## More by Halldór Laxness > [Where the glacier meets the sky, the land ceases to be earthly, and the earth becomes one with the heavens; no sorrows live there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/where-the-glacier-meets-the-sky-the-land-ceases-to-be-earthly-and-the/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“A new generation forgets the specters that may have tormented the old… And yet, always, to all eternity, it is the same specter assailing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/a-new-generation-forgets-the-specters-that-may-have-tormented-the-old/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“People don't have the imagination to understand politicians. People are too innocent”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/people-don-t-have-the-imagination-to-understand-politicians-people/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“Can't we make a blusterer ourselves? asked Jón Hreggviðsson. Can't we scratch that damned sign with the ax-point onto the chopping block and get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/can-t-we-make-a-blusterer-ourselves-asked-j-n-hreggvi-sson-can-t-we/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“Somewhere, out in the infinite distance, lay the spring, at least in God's mind, like babies that are not yet conceived in the mother's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/somewhere-out-in-the-infinite-distance-lay-the-spring-at-least-in-god/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“Townsfolk have no conception of the peace that mother nature bestows, and as long as that peace is unfound the spirit must seek to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/townsfolk-have-no-conception-of-the-peace-that-mother-nature-bestows/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“Sin - sin is God’s most precious gift.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/sin-sin-is-god-s-most-precious-gift/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [A free man can live on fish.Independence is better than meat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/a-free-man-can-live-on-fish-independence-is-better-than-meat/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“He did not know what to say in the face of such sorrow. He sat in silence by his sister's side in the spring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/he-did-not-know-what-to-say-in-the-face-of-such-sorrow-he-sat-in/) [Halldor Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“Man is more perfect than god. Although this woman's doctrine, in which she was brought up from childhood, told her than all men were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/man-is-more-perfect-than-god-although-this-woman-s-doctrine-in-which/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [When a man has a flower in his life he builds a house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/when-a-man-has-a-flower-in-his-life-he-builds-a-house/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“Pastor Jón Prímus: Do you remember when Úa shook her curls? Do you remember when she looked at us and laughed? Did she not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/pastor-j-n-pr-mus-do-you-remember-when-a-shook-her-curls-do-you/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [This was the first time that he has ever looked into the labyrinth of the human soul. He was very far from understanding what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/this-was-the-first-time-that-he-has-ever-looked-into-the-labyrinth-of/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“...nothing is true that cannot be proven--and therefore, it's not true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/nothing-is-true-that-cannot-be-proven-and-therefore-it-s-not-true/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) > [“We Danes have always been charitable in our trading operations with Iceland. And when our deceased Highness monopolized trade with the island it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/halld-r-laxness/we-danes-have-always-been-charitable-in-our-trading-operations-with/) [Halldór Laxness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) [Explore all 87 Halldór Laxness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/halld-r-laxness/) ## More Amusement quotes > [Cultivate the habit of thinking ahead, and of anticipating the necessary and immediate consequences of all your actions… Likewise in your pleasures, ask yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/cultivate-the-habit-of-thinking-ahead-and-of-anticipating-the/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Every producer in Hollywood had set me down as a type. I was both amused and disappointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bela-lugosi/every-producer-in-hollywood-had-set-me-down-as-a-type-i-was-both/) [Bela Lugosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bela-lugosi/) > [By amusing myself with all these games, all this nonsense, all these picture puzzles, I became famous... I am only a public entertainer who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/by-amusing-myself-with-all-these-games-all-this-nonsense-all-these/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [I just started writing for my own amusement and occasionally singing in little clubs around Los Angeles. Then I wrote 'The Rose,' and through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-mcbroom/i-just-started-writing-for-my-own-amusement-and-occasionally-singing/) [Amanda McBroom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-mcbroom/) > [Happiness does not consist in pastimes and amusements but in virtuous activities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/happiness-does-not-consist-in-pastimes-and-amusements-but-in-virtuous/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-mass-of-men-lead-lives-of-quiet-desperation-what-is-called/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Ordinary people simply don't know what books mean to us, shut up here. Reading, learning, and the radio are our amusements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/ordinary-people-simply-don-t-know-what-books-mean-to-us-shut-up-here/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [My first job was at an amusement park in Virginia. It was the worst. I loved the park but once I'd worked there all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-mcbride/my-first-job-was-at-an-amusement-park-in-virginia-it-was-the-worst-i/) [Danny McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-mcbride/) > [The Stoics say, "Retire within yourselves; it is there you will find your rest." And that is not true. Others say, "Go out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-stoics-say-retire-within-yourselves-it-is-there-you-will-find/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [I realized, "Gee, you're making the same film over and over here." I just kept making them for my own amusement, but also with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jarmusch/i-realized-gee-you-re-making-the-same-film-over-and-over-here-i-just/) [Jim Jarmusch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jarmusch/) > [I like these boots," I told Vayl. "Do you think they'd sell them to me cheap? I keep ruining mine." "Since when do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-rardin/i-like-these-boots-i-told-vayl-do-you-think-they-d-sell-them-to-me/) [Jennifer Rardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-rardin/) > [It has to be now,” he insisted, a flick of amusement in his voice. He nudged his burgeoning loins against her. “After all, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/it-has-to-be-now-he-insisted-a-flick-of-amusement-in-his-voice-he/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [Act as if the universe is a prodigious miracle created for your amusement and illumination. Assume that secret helpers are working behind the scenes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-brezsny/act-as-if-the-universe-is-a-prodigious-miracle-created-for-your/) [Rob Brezsny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-brezsny/) > [Amusement that is excessive and followed only for its own sake, allures and deceives us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/amusement-that-is-excessive-and-followed-only-for-its-own-sake/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) [Browse all 567 Amusement quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amusement/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Of all the creatures that man kills for his amusement there is only one that he kills out of hatred—other men. Man hates nothing as much as himself. 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