--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Men killing other men really is an…" description: "\"Men killing other men really is an extraordinary phenomenon. Why does it happen? And how long has it gone on? And have the motives changed?\" — John Keegan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ed/john-keegan-14504_changed_men-killing-other-men-really-is-an-extra_2719424.png" --- # Men killing other men really is an extraordinary… ![“Men killing other men really is an extraordinary phenomenon. Why does it happen? And how long has it gone on? And have the motives changed?” quote by John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ed/john-keegan-14504_changed_men-killing-other-men-really-is-an-extra_2719424.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ed/john-keegan-14504_changed_men-killing-other-men-really-is-an-extra_2719424.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ed/john-keegan-14504_changed_men-killing-other-men-really-is-an-extra_2719424.png) > “Men killing other men really is an extraordinary phenomenon. Why does it happen? And how long has it gone on? And have the motives changed?” [John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keegan/) ## 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 rare, extreme human behavior whose causes and motives evolve over time. **In simple terms:** War is unusual and its reasons change. Key Takeaway Study history to understand conflict. Themes conflict human nature history Mood analytical inquisitive Type historical philosophical When to use this quote - military analysis - educational curricula - policy debates Key Concepts political science anthropology Questions to Reflect On - Why do societies resort to killing? - How have motives shifted across eras? A Different Perspective It may simplify complex geopolitical dynamics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Phenomenon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phenomenon/) ## Related quotes > [“But what is the core of the political? Men killing men on the largest scale in broad daylight and with the greatest serenity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-strauss/but-what-is-the-core-of-the-political-men-killing-men-on-the-largest/) [Leo Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-strauss/) > [“To see each of his ugly, selfish motives changed into a good and generous one by the simplicity of a child was a singular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/to-see-each-of-his-ugly-selfish-motives-changed-into-a-good-and/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“In a city where men are killing each other like animals just to make it a happier place, who has the right to stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/in-a-city-where-men-are-killing-each-other-like-animals-just-to-make/) [Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/) > [“During the summers they traveled widely through the forests, killing men for booty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-l-byock/during-the-summers-they-traveled-widely-through-the-forests-killing/) Jesse L. Byock > [Look now — in all of history men have been taught that killing of men is an evil thing not to be countenanced. Any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/look-now-in-all-of-history-men-have-been-taught-that-killing-of-men/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [In military they will give you medal for killing 5 men but discharge you for loving ONE.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reymon-iglesia/in-military-they-will-give-you-medal-for-killing-5-men-but-discharge/) [Reymon Iglesia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reymon-iglesia/) > [“Killing men is not like fencing. There's no room for fine touches in battle. Every second that you blade is stuck in one man's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-stead/killing-men-is-not-like-fencing-there-s-no-room-for-fine-touches-in/) [Tim Stead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-stead/) > [“The power of men like me does not come solely from our ability to kill--which is no small talent in itself, true, but neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-carlos-blake/the-power-of-men-like-me-does-not-come-solely-from-our-ability-to/) [James Carlos Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-carlos-blake/) > [America is the place where you cannot kill your government by killing the men who conduct it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/america-is-the-place-where-you-cannot-kill-your-government-by-killing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's really sad that in this world, people would rather see 2 men holding guns, killing each other..than to see 2 men holding hands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-really-sad-that-in-this-world-people-would-rather-see-2-men/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Your brother was a terrible traitor, I know, but if we start killing men at weddings they’ll be even more frightened of marriage than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/your-brother-was-a-terrible-traitor-i-know-but-if-we-start-killing/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [Seems nothing draws men together like killing other men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-glaspell/seems-nothing-draws-men-together-like-killing-other-men/) [Susan Glaspell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-glaspell/) > [When they start killing the men of ideas, you can be sure the Devil is laughing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mills/when-they-start-killing-the-men-of-ideas-you-can-be-sure-the-devil-is/) [Mark Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mills/) > [“once I admitted the arguments of necessity and force majeure put forward by the less eminent, I couldn’t reject those of the eminent. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/once-i-admitted-the-arguments-of-necessity-and-force-majeure-put/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [When I was in the military they gave me a medal for killing two men and a discharge for loving one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epitaph-of-leonard-p-matlovich/when-i-was-in-the-military-they-gave-me-a-medal-for-killing-two-men/) Epitaph Of Leonard P Matlovich ## More by John Keegan > [We forget today that Britain still depends for its livelihood and, indeed, its day-to-day survival, on the sea. But the Royal Navy is now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keegan/we-forget-today-that-britain-still-depends-for-its-livelihood-and/) [John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keegan/) > [ Hitler ... lacked the \[inclination\] for anything more than the occasional sensational display of emotion, in particular the great set-piece speech which mesmerized the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keegan/hitler-lacked-the-inclination-for-anything-more-than-the-occasional/) [John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keegan/) > [The historian ought to be an educated person, writing for other educated people about something which they don't know about, but wish to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keegan/the-historian-ought-to-be-an-educated-person-writing-for-other/) [John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keegan/) > [It's a necessary quality of a diplomat or a politician that he will compromise. Uncompromising politicians or diplomats get you into the most terrible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keegan/it-s-a-necessary-quality-of-a-diplomat-or-a-politician-that-he-will/) [John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keegan/) > [Visually Agincourt is a pre-Raphaelite, perhaps better a Medici Gallery print battle - a composition of strong verticals and horizontals and a conflict of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keegan/visually-agincourt-is-a-pre-raphaelite-perhaps-better-a-medici/) [John Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keegan/) > [“The Second World War, when it came in 1939, was unquestionably the outcome of the First, and in large measure its continuation. 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I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Faith is the avenue to salvation. Not intellectual understanding. Not money. Not your works. Just simple faith. How much faith? The faith of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/faith-is-the-avenue-to-salvation-not-intellectual-understanding-not/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [When I became Miss World, I couldn't believe I had won it. I used to sleep with my crown because I was scared someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyanka-chopra/when-i-became-miss-world-i-couldn-t-believe-i-had-won-it-i-used-to/) [Priyanka Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyanka-chopra/) > [As the light changed from red to green to yellow and back to red again, I sat there thinking about life. Was it nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-the-light-changed-from-red-to-green-to-yellow-and-back-to-red/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forgetting your Self is the greatest injury; all the calamities flow from it. Take care of the most important, the lesser will take care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/forgetting-your-self-is-the-greatest-injury-all-the-calamities-flow/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [It's only a thought and a thought can be changed. Choose good ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/it-s-only-a-thought-and-a-thought-can-be-changed-choose-good-ones/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Working with Rihanna has changed my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bibi-bourelly/working-with-rihanna-has-changed-my-life/) [Bibi Bourelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bibi-bourelly/) > [The international game has changed for bidding cities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-ueberroth/the-international-game-has-changed-for-bidding-cities/) [Peter Ueberroth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-ueberroth/) > [You changed my life, don't know what you're doing to me with your love. You got me feeling super human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-changed-my-life-don-t-know-what-you-re-doing-to-me-with-your-love/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not changing because I'm part of a hit. 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