Skip to content

Begets Quote by John Lennon

“Violence begets violence, you know. And you can't kill off all the violent people or all the murderers. We'd have to kill off the government.” quote by John Lennon
Download Open image
“Violence begets violence, you know. And you can't kill off all the violent people or all the murderers. We'd have to kill off the government.”

John Lennon

About This Quote

Source Song: “Imagine” (lyrics), 1971

Violence breeds more violence; eliminating violent individuals alone cannot end systemic aggression.

In simple terms: Violence leads to more violence; killing people won’t stop it.

Key Takeaway

Address root causes, not just individuals.

Themes

violence systemic oppression justice

Mood

somber reflective

Type

philosophical political

When to use this quote

  • policy reform
  • community building
  • education
  • conflict resolution

Key Concepts

cycle of retaliation social responsibility

Questions to Reflect On

  • What systemic factors sustain violence?
  • How can we reduce retaliation cycles?
A Different Perspective

Violence may persist despite individual removal; systemic change is complex.

2.9 out of 5 (7 ratings)

More by John Lennon

Explore all 681 John Lennon quotes

More Begets quotes

Browse all 257 Begets quotes