--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Look at us. We build giant highways and…" description: "\"“Look at us. We build giant highways and murderously fast cars for killing each other and committing suicide. Instead of bomb shelters we construct gig..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a13/herman-wouk-7342_cities_look-at-us-we-build-giant-highways-and-m_917518.jpg" --- # Look at us. We build giant highways and murderously fast… ![“Look at us. We build giant highways and murderously fast cars for killing each other and committing suicide. Instead of bomb shelters we construct gigantic frail glass buildings all over Manhattan at Ground Zero, a thousand feet high, open to the sky, life a woman undressing before an intruder and…” quote by Herman Wouk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a13/herman-wouk-7342_cities_look-at-us-we-build-giant-highways-and-m_917518.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a13/herman-wouk-7342_cities_look-at-us-we-build-giant-highways-and-m_917518.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a13/herman-wouk-7342_cities_look-at-us-we-build-giant-highways-and-m_917518.jpg) > ““Look at us. We build giant highways and murderously fast cars for killing each other and committing suicide. Instead of bomb shelters we construct gigantic frail glass buildings all over Manhattan at Ground Zero, a thousand feet high, open to the sky, life a woman undressing before an intruder and provoking him to rape her. We ring Russia's borders with missile-launching pads, and then scream that she's threatening us. In all history there's never been a more lurid mass example of the sadist-masochist expression of the thanatos instinct than the present conduct of the United States. The Nazis by comparison were Eagle Scouts.”” [Herman Wouk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-wouk/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human progress creates paradoxes: advanced tech coexists with moral collapse. **In simple terms:** Advancement can mask deeper violence. Key Takeaway Question values behind technology. Themes war technology morality societal decay Mood critical provocative Type political philosophical When to use this quote - urban planning - military policy - media influence - gender violence Key Concepts nihilism masochism power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What ethical frameworks guide modern innovation? - How can societies balance safety and freedom? A Different Perspective Moral progress may lag behind technological progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Committing suicide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/committing-suicide/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Eagle scout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eagle-scout/) [Fast cars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fast-cars/) [Ground zero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ground-zero/) [Manhattan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manhattan/) [Modernity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modernity/) [Nazis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nazis/) [Sadism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sadism/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) ## Related quotes > [In America and in most of the industrialized world, men are coming to be thought of by feminists in very much the same way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/in-america-and-in-most-of-the-industrialized-world-men-are-coming-to/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [“ Today You Soar "Like the grand eagle, you spread your wings And put forth the effort to do great things. Looking skyward you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/today-you-soar-like-the-grand-eagle-you-spread-your-wings-and-put/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [Give me a young man who has kept himself morally clean and has faithfully attended his church meetings. Give me a young man who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/give-me-a-young-man-who-has-kept-himself-morally-clean-and-has/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [I will say that Edward Norton, who plays the scout master, would be a first-rate Eagle Scout. He's got all those techniques. If your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wes-anderson/i-will-say-that-edward-norton-who-plays-the-scout-master-would-be-a/) [Wes Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wes-anderson/) > [Among my activities was membership in the Boy Scouts; I rose each year through the ranks, eventually achieving the rank of Eagle Scout and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-reines/among-my-activities-was-membership-in-the-boy-scouts-i-rose-each-year/) [Frederick Reines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-reines/) > [“The barriers to modern megaleakers like Manning have crumbled: They needn’t spend a year photocopying. They needn’t be Eagle Scouts or war heroes who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-greenberg/the-barriers-to-modern-megaleakers-like-manning-have-crumbled-they/) [Andy Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-greenberg/) > [The Boy Scouts of America stands for a set of principles. These principles have a lot of staying power. The values you learn as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bradley/the-boy-scouts-of-america-stands-for-a-set-of-principles-these/) [Bill Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bradley/) > [“Becoming an Eagle Scout is just about the only thing you can put on your resume at age fifty that you did at age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/becoming-an-eagle-scout-is-just-about-the-only-thing-you-can-put-on/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [I have never forgotten my days as an Eagle Scout. I didn't know it at the time, but what really came out of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-bentsen/i-have-never-forgotten-my-days-as-an-eagle-scout-i-didn-t-know-it-at/) Lloyd Bentsen > [I AM an Eagle Scout, I AM prepared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-an-eagle-scout-i-am-prepared/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [An Eagle Scout deserves a letter of congratulations, but not a proclamation, ... That's a normal process. It's not a heroic process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-bruno/an-eagle-scout-deserves-a-letter-of-congratulations-but-not-a/) [Frank Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-bruno/) > [One of the things that's unique about Louisiana politics is that people here have a much more realistic attitude about who their politicians are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-frost/one-of-the-things-that-s-unique-about-louisiana-politics-is-that/) [Mark Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-frost/) > [Scouting helped me grow into the man I am today. Being an Eagle Scout speaks for itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-hart/scouting-helped-me-grow-into-the-man-i-am-today-being-an-eagle-scout/) [Josh Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-hart/) > [“The fifty-three-year-old former Eagle Scout from South Carolina didn’t drink, smoke, or swear; the most colorful expletive in his vocabulary was “dad gum.”7 He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-bowden/the-fifty-three-year-old-former-eagle-scout-from-south-carolina-didn/) [Mark Bowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-bowden/) > [I am an Eagle Scout. I am very proud of that. When I was in college I worked summers in a Boy Scout summer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-r-wheeler/i-am-an-eagle-scout-i-am-very-proud-of-that-when-i-was-in-college-i/) [Andrew R. Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-r-wheeler/) ## More by Herman Wouk > [Every hour spent on the Caine was a great hour in all our lives-if you don't think so now you will later on, more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-wouk/every-hour-spent-on-the-caine-was-a-great-hour-in-all-our-lives-if/) [Herman Wouk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-wouk/) > [ “Scholars call it \[the Torah\] the Masoretic text. The Masoretes were Hebrew scribes of the first centuries of the present era. They fixed the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-wouk/scholars-call-it-the-torah-the-masoretic-text-the-masoretes-were/) [Herman Wouk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-wouk/) > [“The UN is all screams and twitters, like a ladies’ room when a guy barges in. A”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-wouk/the-un-is-all-screams-and-twitters-like-a-ladies-room-when-a-guy/) [Herman Wouk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-wouk/) > [Write a page a day. It will add up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-wouk/write-a-page-a-day-it-will-add-up/) [Herman Wouk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-wouk/) > [Illusion is an anodyne, bred by the gap between wish and reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-wouk/illusion-is-an-anodyne-bred-by-the-gap-between-wish-and-reality/) [Herman Wouk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-wouk/) > [“The West Indian is not exactly hostile to change, but he is not much inclined to believe in it. This comes from a piece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-wouk/the-west-indian-is-not-exactly-hostile-to-change-but-he-is-not-much/) [Herman Wouk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-wouk/) > [“Al nations celebrate the day of their coming into being with a work stoppage and ceremonies. The Jews, who believe that God created the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-wouk/al-nations-celebrate-the-day-of-their-coming-into-being-with-a-work/) [Herman Wouk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-wouk/) > [The Navy is a master plan designed by geniuses for execution by idiots. If you're not an idiot, but find yourself in the Navy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-wouk/the-navy-is-a-master-plan-designed-by-geniuses-for-execution-by/) [Herman Wouk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-wouk/) > [“With the smoke of the dead sailor's cigar wreathing around him, Willie passed to thinking about death and life and luck and God. Philosophers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-wouk/with-the-smoke-of-the-dead-sailor-s-cigar-wreathing-around-him-willie/) [Herman Wouk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-wouk/) > [“Sir, my inferior understanding prevents my grasping the unquestionable soundness of the mission.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-wouk/sir-my-inferior-understanding-prevents-my-grasping-the-unquestionable/) [Herman Wouk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-wouk/) > [“Cabs, cabs! Why did God give you feet? Walk me to Fiftieth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-wouk/cabs-cabs-why-did-god-give-you-feet-walk-me-to-fiftieth/) [Herman Wouk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-wouk/) > [“The clear intent of our law is to enable a man to live in the world and yet hold his faith close to his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-wouk/the-clear-intent-of-our-law-is-to-enable-a-man-to-live-in-the-world/) [Herman Wouk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-wouk/) > [The Talmud: Heart's Blood of the Jewish Faith...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-wouk/the-talmud-heart-s-blood-of-the-jewish-faith/) [Herman Wouk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-wouk/) > [“It was going to be a tough ten years, he thought, for men with grown sons. Warren”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-wouk/it-was-going-to-be-a-tough-ten-years-he-thought-for-men-with-grown/) [Herman Wouk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-wouk/) > [“A Talmud saying implies that in Messianic times the sacrifices will not be resumed in the restored Temple, except for the thank offerings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-wouk/a-talmud-saying-implies-that-in-messianic-times-the-sacrifices-will/) [Herman Wouk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-wouk/) [Explore all 90 Herman Wouk quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-wouk/) ## More Cities quotes > [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [Surely, if Mother Nature had been consulted, she would never have consented to building a city in New Orleans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-zuckerman/surely-if-mother-nature-had-been-consulted-she-would-never-have/) [Mortimer Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-zuckerman/) > [Cities are 2% of the earth's crust, but they are 50% of the world's population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlo-ratti/cities-are-2-of-the-earth-s-crust-but-they-are-50-of-the-world-s/) [Carlo Ratti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlo-ratti/) > [A man could be a lover and defender of the wilderness without ever in his lifetime leaving the boundaries of asphalt, powerlines, and right-angled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-man-could-be-a-lover-and-defender-of-the-wilderness-without-ever-in/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [All Germany was in turmoil. Revolutionaries seized power in the cities of Munich, Hanover and Cologne. One regional German government after another was toppled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cross-giblin/all-germany-was-in-turmoil-revolutionaries-seized-power-in-the-cities/) James Cross Giblin > [Nice is a city of ghosts and specters, but I hope not to become one of them right away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-modiano/nice-is-a-city-of-ghosts-and-specters-but-i-hope-not-to-become-one-of/) [Patrick Modiano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-modiano/) > [I know of not one Republican candidate that would not appear publicly with Mitt Romney and I know many Democrats that don't even want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/i-know-of-not-one-republican-candidate-that-would-not-appear-publicly/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [We will neglect our cities to our peril, for in neglecting them we neglect the nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/we-will-neglect-our-cities-to-our-peril-for-in-neglecting-them-we/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [I didn't know the city at all, but I was so happy to be in New York I cried. I was so excited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/i-didn-t-know-the-city-at-all-but-i-was-so-happy-to-be-in-new-york-i/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [Outside of Paris, there is no hope for the cultured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/outside-of-paris-there-is-no-hope-for-the-cultured/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [Dawn's faint breath breathes with your mouth at the ends of empty streets. Gray light your eyes, sweet drops of dawn on dark hills.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/dawn-s-faint-breath-breathes-with-your-mouth-at-the-ends-of-empty/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [Vienna is a handsome, lively city, and pleases me exceedingly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-chopin/vienna-is-a-handsome-lively-city-and-pleases-me-exceedingly/) [Frederic Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-chopin/) > [“We have grace of strength to work, to clear our cities of any dirt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-have-grace-of-strength-to-work-to-clear-our-cities-of-any-dirt/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I was too tired to think. I merely felt the town as a unique unreality. What was it? I knew -- the moon's picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-too-tired-to-think-i-merely-felt-the-town-as-a-unique-unreality/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 7,153 Cities quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Look at us. We build giant highways and murderously fast cars for killing each other and committing suicide. Instead of bomb shelters we construct gigantic frail glass buildings all over Manhattan at Ground Zero, a thousand feet high, open to the sky, life a woman undressing before an intruder and provoking him to rape her. We ring Russia's borders with missile-launching pads, and then scream that she's threatening us. In all history there's never been a more lurid mass example of the sadist-masochist expression of the thanatos instinct than the present conduct of the United States. 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