--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [...] suppose you had done that, suppose…" description: "\"“[...] suppose you had done that, suppose it were true — [...] would you kill a man, an innocent man—’ ‘Mundt’s a killer himself.’ ‘Suppose he wasn’t. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b9/john-le-carre-651_quote_suppose-you-had-done-that-suppose-it-wer_342638.jpg" --- # \[...\] suppose you had done that, suppose it were true… ![“[...] suppose you had done that, suppose it were true — [...] would you kill a man, an innocent man—’ ‘Mundt’s a killer himself.’ ‘Suppose he wasn’t. Suppose it were me they wanted to kill: would London do it?’ ‘It depends … it depends on the need …’ ‘Ah,’ said Fiedler contentedly, ‘it depends on…” quote by John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b9/john-le-carre-651_quote_suppose-you-had-done-that-suppose-it-wer_342638.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b9/john-le-carre-651_quote_suppose-you-had-done-that-suppose-it-wer_342638.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b9/john-le-carre-651_quote_suppose-you-had-done-that-suppose-it-wer_342638.jpg) > ““\[...\] suppose you had done that, suppose it were true — \[...\] would you kill a man, an innocent man—’ ‘Mundt’s a killer himself.’ ‘Suppose he wasn’t. Suppose it were me they wanted to kill: would London do it?’ ‘It depends … it depends on the need …’ ‘Ah,’ said Fiedler contentedly, ‘it depends on the need. Like Stalin, in fact. The traffic accident and the statistics. That is a great relief.’ ‘Why?’ ‘\[...\] We’re all the same, you know, that’s the joke.”” [John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Moral decisions hinge on personal needs and context, revealing the absurdity of absolute judgments about right and wrong. **In simple terms:** Ethics depend on circumstance. Key Takeaway Consider context before judging actions. Themes ethics war human nature relativism Mood tense thought‑provoking Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - military decision‑making - legal judgments - personal dilemmas - conflict resolution Key Concepts moral ambiguity necessity psychological realism Questions to Reflect On - What personal need justifies a harmful act? - How do we balance empathy with accountability? A Different Perspective May oversimplify complex moral landscapes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Contentedly Depends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contentedly-depends-3182485/) [Depends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depends/) [Depends Depends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depends-depends-3182483/) [Like Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-stalin-533558/) [Said Fiedler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-fiedler-3182484/) ## Related quotes > [I'm not a guy that loves a lot of rehearsal, but it depends. It depends what it would be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-speedman/i-m-not-a-guy-that-loves-a-lot-of-rehearsal-but-it-depends-it-depends/) [Scott Speedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-speedman/) > [So, is there a "new economy?" The answer is: It depends. 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