--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was the most banal idea about a war…" description: "\"“It was the most banal idea about a war, Michael knew, that if of fatality, but it was impossible not to think of it, impossible not to think of the ca..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f04/irwin-shaw-11005_war_it-was-the-most-banal-idea-about-a-war-m_2175979.jpg" --- # It was the most banal idea about a war, Michael knew, that… ![“It was the most banal idea about a war, Michael knew, that if of fatality, but it was impossible not to think of it, impossible not to think of the casual threads of accident on which we survive to face the next if that comes tomorrow.” quote by Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f04/irwin-shaw-11005_war_it-was-the-most-banal-idea-about-a-war-m_2175979.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f04/irwin-shaw-11005_war_it-was-the-most-banal-idea-about-a-war-m_2175979.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f04/irwin-shaw-11005_war_it-was-the-most-banal-idea-about-a-war-m_2175979.jpg) > ““It was the most banal idea about a war, Michael knew, that if of fatality, but it was impossible not to think of it, impossible not to think of the casual threads of accident on which we survive to face the next if that comes tomorrow.”” [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. War’s randomness makes every moment fragile, yet we cannot escape contemplating mortality. **In simple terms:** War is random and unavoidable. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty, reflect on mortality. Themes war existentialism fragility Mood reflective somber Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - combat experience - civilian anxiety - philosophical reflection Key Concepts Randomness fatalism human vulnerability Questions to Reflect On - How do you find meaning amid chaos? - What actions can mitigate fear of randomness? A Different Perspective It may induce fatalism, discouraging proactive coping. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [This isn't the Gulf War, Michael. Which ironically IS like a big petrol station.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-coogan/this-isn-t-the-gulf-war-michael-which-ironically-is-like-a-big-petrol/) [Steve Coogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-coogan/) > [“There was the right thing to do. Michael knew that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/there-was-the-right-thing-to-do-michael-knew-that/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [“Michael knew now what was happening to him. He knew he was going to be naughty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-l-travers-2/michael-knew-now-what-was-happening-to-him-he-knew-he-was-going-to-be/) [P.L. Travers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-l-travers-2/) > [“You and your name-dropping. 'I knew Michael'. 'I knew Sammael'. 'The angel Gabriel did my hair'. It's like I'm with the Band with biblical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/you-and-your-name-dropping-i-knew-michael-i-knew-sammael-the-angel/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [You and your name dropping he said, I knew Michael, I knew Sammael. The angel Gabriel did my hair. Its like I'm with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/you-and-your-name-dropping-he-said-i-knew-michael-i-knew-sammael-the/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [It must have been so impossible to think about it and dare to do that, so they feel compassionate for her. I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-kruger/it-must-have-been-so-impossible-to-think-about-it-and-dare-to-do-that/) [Diane Kruger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-kruger/) > [“People do it all the time--assume that they "know" what's going on in someone else's head. That's impossible. 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I never felt properly sorry for schizophrenics, she thought, unable to escape the voices in their heads and fighting for their sanity with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-willis/her-i-never-felt-properly-sorry-for-schizophrenics-she-thought-unable/) [Connie Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-willis/) > [I think it can be quite impossible to think well of yourself, so I prefer not to think about that too much. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sheckley/i-think-it-can-be-quite-impossible-to-think-well-of-yourself-so-i/) [Robert Sheckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sheckley/) > [“Aomame tried her best to keep her mind clear of any thoughts, but it was impossible not to think of anything. Nature abhors a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/aomame-tried-her-best-to-keep-her-mind-clear-of-any-thoughts-but-it/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“...I don't think that. I believe we're going to win.' - Hime 'On what grounds do you think that?' - Mitchi 'There are no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minami-maki/i-don-t-think-that-i-believe-we-re-going-to-win-hime-on-what-grounds/) Minami Maki > [If you haven't understood the world you're living in, it's impossible to think that the solution you're coming up with fits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-obeng/if-you-haven-t-understood-the-world-you-re-living-in-it-s-impossible/) Eddie Obeng > [“It is impossible for us to think of any thing, which we have not antecedently felt, either by our external or internal senses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/it-is-impossible-for-us-to-think-of-any-thing-which-we-have-not/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) ## More by Irwin Shaw > [“The world," said Pavone, "will swing to the left. The whole world except America. The world will swing, not because people read Karl Marx,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/the-world-said-pavone-will-swing-to-the-left-the-whole-world-except/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [A writer has to live with a sense of honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/a-writer-has-to-live-with-a-sense-of-honor/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [Special-interest magazines are dangerous places for writers to start out in because the writing quickly falls into a routine and people are likely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/special-interest-magazines-are-dangerous-places-for-writers-to-start/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [It's those damn critics again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/it-s-those-damn-critics-again/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I haven't stuck to any formula. Most great writers stick to the same style, but I wanted to be more various](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/i-haven-t-stuck-to-any-formula-most-great-writers-stick-to-the-same/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [Writing is like a contact sport, like football. Why do kids play football? They can get hurt on any play, can't they? Yet they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/writing-is-like-a-contact-sport-like-football-why-do-kids-play/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [At the height of the McCarthy period, writers were being hounded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/at-the-height-of-the-mccarthy-period-writers-were-being-hounded/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [“This time it is not a simple, understandable war, within the same culture. This time it is an assault of the animal world upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/this-time-it-is-not-a-simple-understandable-war-within-the-same/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [A good editor understands what you're talking and writing about and doesn't meddle too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/a-good-editor-understands-what-you-re-talking-and-writing-about-and/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [Writing is like a contact sport, like football. You can get hurt, but you enjoy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/writing-is-like-a-contact-sport-like-football-you-can-get-hurt-but/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [“The abuse of alcohol,” Mr. Parrish said in a solemn, preacher-like voice, as he reached for his glass, “is the one thing that puts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/the-abuse-of-alcohol-mr-parrish-said-in-a-solemn-preacher-like-voice/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [A writer is a human being. He has to live with a sense of honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/a-writer-is-a-human-being-he-has-to-live-with-a-sense-of-honor/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [Ernest Hemingway did a great deal toward making the writer an acceptable public figure; obviously, he was no sissy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/ernest-hemingway-did-a-great-deal-toward-making-the-writer-an/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I never show anything to anybody until I've finished it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/i-never-show-anything-to-anybody-until-i-ve-finished-it/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) [Explore all 62 Irwin Shaw quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) ## More Peace quotes > [Just understand that the good that you want is already here. All you have to do is get in harmony with it. And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/just-understand-that-the-good-that-you-want-is-already-here-all-you/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [“Peace requires a discipline more iron than war. - Easter, 1939 ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-j-turner/peace-requires-a-discipline-more-iron-than-war-easter-1939/) W.J. Turner > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Achieving mental harmony is one of the greatest goals and experiences in life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kambiz-mostofizadeh/achieving-mental-harmony-is-one-of-the-greatest-goals-and-experiences/) [Kambiz Mostofizadeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kambiz-mostofizadeh/) > [When we are capable of living in the moment free from the tyranny of "shoulds," free from the nagging sensation that this moment isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-z-borysenko/when-we-are-capable-of-living-in-the-moment-free-from-the-tyranny-of/) [Joan Z. Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-z-borysenko/) > [“Tranquillity is courage in repose. It is a statical manifestation of valor, as daring deeds are a dynamical. A truly brave man is ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inazo-nitobe/tranquillity-is-courage-in-repose-it-is-a-statical-manifestation-of/) [Inazo Nitobe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inazo-nitobe/) > [“There is no fortune greater than peace; there is no force greater than peace; there is no excellent tapas greater than peace; there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muruganar/there-is-no-fortune-greater-than-peace-there-is-no-force-greater-than/) [Muruganar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muruganar/) > [Give me love, give me peace on earth, give me light, give me life, keep me free from birth, give me hope, help me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/give-me-love-give-me-peace-on-earth-give-me-light-give-me-life-keep/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [The great force for forging a society into a solid mass has always been war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-graham-sumner/the-great-force-for-forging-a-society-into-a-solid-mass-has-always/) [William Graham Sumner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-graham-sumner/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/) [Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/) > [War is like a fire. One man may start it, but it will spread all over. It is not about one thing in particular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/war-is-like-a-fire-one-man-may-start-it-but-it-will-spread-all-over/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 27,655 Peace quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It was the most banal idea about a war, Michael knew, that if of fatality, but it was impossible not to think of it, impossible not to think of the casual threads of accident on which we survive to face the next if that comes tomorrow.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Irwin Shaw" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/it-was-the-most-banal-idea-about-a-war-michael-knew-that-if-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Peace" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/it-was-the-most-banal-idea-about-a-war-michael-knew-that-if-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f04/irwin-shaw-11005_war_it-was-the-most-banal-idea-about-a-war-m_2175979.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f04/irwin-shaw-11005_war_it-was-the-most-banal-idea-about-a-war-m_2175979.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f04/irwin-shaw-11005_war_it-was-the-most-banal-idea-about-a-war-m_2175979.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It was the most banal idea about a war, Michael knew, that if of fatality, but it was impossible not to…” — Irwin Shaw", "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": "Irwin Shaw", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It was the most banal idea...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/it-was-the-most-banal-idea-about-a-war-michael-knew-that-if-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/it-was-the-most-banal-idea-about-a-war-michael-knew-that-if-of/#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 } } ] } ```