--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I’m not sure it’s altogether right to…" description: "\"“I’m not sure it’s altogether right to encourage and reward fighting and killing, but that’s the way things are.”\" — John Jakes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14f/john-jakes-23092_fighting_i-m-not-sure-it-s-altogether-right-to-en_1795769.png" --- # I’m not sure it’s altogether right to encourage and reward… ![“I’m not sure it’s altogether right to encourage and reward fighting and killing, but that’s the way things are.” quote by John Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14f/john-jakes-23092_fighting_i-m-not-sure-it-s-altogether-right-to-en_1795769.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14f/john-jakes-23092_fighting_i-m-not-sure-it-s-altogether-right-to-en_1795769.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14f/john-jakes-23092_fighting_i-m-not-sure-it-s-altogether-right-to-en_1795769.png) > ““I’m not sure it’s altogether right to encourage and reward fighting and killing, but that’s the way things are.”” [John Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jakes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He questions the morality of rewarding violence, acknowledging it as a societal reality. **In simple terms:** Violence is rewarded, but it feels wrong. Key Takeaway Question the ethics of glorifying conflict. Themes morality violence society ethics Mood thoughtful serious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - playing video games - watching action films - debating policy - educating youth Key Concepts just war theory cultural norms media influence Questions to Reflect On - Is rewarding violence ever justified? - How can societies shift values? A Different Perspective Changing norms is slow and faces resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting/) [Fighting Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting-killing-633063/) [Killing Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing-way-1986201/) [Reward Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reward-fighting-1986199/) [Right Encourage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-encourage-1986200/) ## Related quotes > [...people get hurt in rumbles, maybe killed. I'm sick of it because it doesn't do any good. You can't win...even if you whip us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-get-hurt-in-rumbles-maybe-killed-i-m-sick-of-it-because-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The truly terrible thing about the war spirit, about the fear and hate hysteria it generates, is that it forces us to think and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/the-truly-terrible-thing-about-the-war-spirit-about-the-fear-and-hate/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [What are we fighting for? What are we killing for? What do you see when you look into the future?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/what-are-we-fighting-for-what-are-we-killing-for-what-do-you-see-when/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [Someone else who liked what I did might turn around and say, "She's reworking and rethinking everything. She could just be making blankets now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracey-emin/someone-else-who-liked-what-i-did-might-turn-around-and-say-she-s/) [Tracey Emin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracey-emin/) > [It is sort of interesting that in our society this days we are very quick to apply the term 'war' to places where thare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-schneier/it-is-sort-of-interesting-that-in-our-society-this-days-we-are-very/) [Bruce Schneier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-schneier/) > [Well, He had known what love was-a sharp pang, a fierce experience, in the midst of whose flames he was struggling! but, through that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/well-he-had-known-what-love-was-a-sharp-pang-a-fierce-experience-in/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [Women rule the world. It's not really worth fighting because they know what they're doing. Ask Napoleon. Ask Adam. Ask Richard Burton or Richie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bon-jovi/women-rule-the-world-it-s-not-really-worth-fighting-because-they-know/) [Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bon-jovi/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [You have to fight gravity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-wine/you-have-to-fight-gravity/) [Sherwin Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-wine/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. The ordinary Afghan is sick and tired of it, because it's she or he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/we-could-form-a-government-of-national-unity-fighting-corruption-the/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [“I bet she thought she was getting into a fight with a vanilla wafer on roller skates but little did she know she was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-portes/i-bet-she-thought-she-was-getting-into-a-fight-with-a-vanilla-wafer/) [Andrea Portes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-portes/) > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) ## More by John Jakes > [“Why did people ignore the lessons of history and their own senses, deny a law of life immutable as the seasons, and erect twisted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jakes/why-did-people-ignore-the-lessons-of-history-and-their-own-senses/) [John Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jakes/) > [The house burned an hour before midnight on the last day of April. The wild, distant ringing of the fire bells woke George Hazard.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jakes/the-house-burned-an-hour-before-midnight-on-the-last-day-of-april-the/) [John Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jakes/) > [Be yourself. Above all, let who you are, what you are, what you believe shine through every sentence you write, every piece you finish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jakes/be-yourself-above-all-let-who-you-are-what-you-are-what-you-believe/) [John Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jakes/) > [No writer should minimize the factor that affects everyone, but is beyond control: luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jakes/no-writer-should-minimize-the-factor-that-affects-everyone-but-is/) [John Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jakes/) > [The first treasure California began to surrender after the Gold Rush as the oldest: her land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jakes/the-first-treasure-california-began-to-surrender-after-the-gold-rush/) [John Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jakes/) > [“Yet how strong was friendship? Could it banish disagreement over a fundamental issue of human liberty—as if the issue and the disagreement didn’t exist?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jakes/yet-how-strong-was-friendship-could-it-banish-disagreement-over-a/) [John Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jakes/) > [Be persistent. Editors change; tastes change; editorial markets change. Too many beginning writers give up too easily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jakes/be-persistent-editors-change-tastes-change-editorial-markets-change/) [John Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jakes/) > [Guilty she might be. But what human being was not? There were things in her past she needn't be ashamed of, things to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jakes/guilty-she-might-be-but-what-human-being-was-not-there-were-things-in/) [John Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jakes/) > [Going after anything worthwile in life entailed risk, of course. A man of ambition and courage didn't let that stop or delay him. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jakes/going-after-anything-worthwile-in-life-entailed-risk-of-course-a-man/) [John Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jakes/) > [The pain comes from knowing that we have never been safe, and therefore will never be safe again. It comes from knowing we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jakes/the-pain-comes-from-knowing-that-we-have-never-been-safe-and/) [John Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jakes/) > [We are all dying of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jakes/we-are-all-dying-of-life/) [John Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jakes/) > [“He could never be anything more than what he was: the inheritor of weakness and unbridled emotion, a creature possessed by the past, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jakes/he-could-never-be-anything-more-than-what-he-was-the-inheritor-of/) [John Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jakes/) > [Spend as much time as you can with your mouth shut and your eyes and ears open.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jakes/spend-as-much-time-as-you-can-with-your-mouth-shut-and-your-eyes-and/) [John Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jakes/) > [“Take a stand and make a mark.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jakes/take-a-stand-and-make-a-mark/) [John Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jakes/) > [“That was an explanation, not an excuse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jakes/that-was-an-explanation-not-an-excuse/) [John Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jakes/) [Explore all 26 John Jakes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jakes/) ## More Fighting quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [“I bet she thought she was getting into a fight with a vanilla wafer on roller skates but little did she know she was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-portes/i-bet-she-thought-she-was-getting-into-a-fight-with-a-vanilla-wafer/) [Andrea Portes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-portes/) > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. The ordinary Afghan is sick and tired of it, because it's she or he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/we-could-form-a-government-of-national-unity-fighting-corruption-the/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [You have to fight gravity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-wine/you-have-to-fight-gravity/) [Sherwin Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-wine/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [Women rule the world. It's not really worth fighting because they know what they're doing. Ask Napoleon. Ask Adam. Ask Richard Burton or Richie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bon-jovi/women-rule-the-world-it-s-not-really-worth-fighting-because-they-know/) [Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bon-jovi/) > [Well, He had known what love was-a sharp pang, a fierce experience, in the midst of whose flames he was struggling! but, through that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/well-he-had-known-what-love-was-a-sharp-pang-a-fierce-experience-in/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [It is sort of interesting that in our society this days we are very quick to apply the term 'war' to places where thare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-schneier/it-is-sort-of-interesting-that-in-our-society-this-days-we-are-very/) [Bruce Schneier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-schneier/) > [Someone else who liked what I did might turn around and say, "She's reworking and rethinking everything. She could just be making blankets now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracey-emin/someone-else-who-liked-what-i-did-might-turn-around-and-say-she-s/) [Tracey Emin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracey-emin/) > [Life is a battle of wits, and many people have to fight it unarmed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/life-is-a-battle-of-wits-and-many-people-have-to-fight-it-unarmed/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [The devil has been defeated, stop trying to defeat him. What we have left is the fight of faith, and it's a good fight!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-oyakhilome/the-devil-has-been-defeated-stop-trying-to-defeat-him-what-we-have/) [Chris Oyakhilome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-oyakhilome/) > [There comes a time when you're losing a fight that it just doesn't make sense to keep on fighting. It's not that you're being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paul-curtis/there-comes-a-time-when-you-re-losing-a-fight-that-it-just-doesn-t/) [Christopher Paul Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paul-curtis/) [Browse all 13,685 Fighting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I’m not sure it’s altogether right to encourage and reward fighting and killing, but that’s the way things are.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Jakes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jakes/i-m-not-sure-it-s-altogether-right-to-encourage-and-reward-fighting/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fighting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jakes/i-m-not-sure-it-s-altogether-right-to-encourage-and-reward-fighting/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14f/john-jakes-23092_fighting_i-m-not-sure-it-s-altogether-right-to-en_1795769.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14f/john-jakes-23092_fighting_i-m-not-sure-it-s-altogether-right-to-en_1795769.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14f/john-jakes-23092_fighting_i-m-not-sure-it-s-altogether-right-to-en_1795769.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I’m not sure it’s altogether right to encourage and reward fighting and killing, but that’s the way things…” — John Jakes", "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": "John Jakes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jakes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I’m not sure it’s altogether right...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jakes/i-m-not-sure-it-s-altogether-right-to-encourage-and-reward-fighting/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jakes/i-m-not-sure-it-s-altogether-right-to-encourage-and-reward-fighting/#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 } } ] } ```