--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Their numbers swell like viruses until…" description: "\"“Their numbers swell like viruses until they madden someone with a large army.”\" — Kevin Hearne" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9a/kevin-hearne-991_atticus_their-numbers-swell-like-viruses-until-t_655001.jpg" --- # Their numbers swell like viruses until they madden someone… ![“Their numbers swell like viruses until they madden someone with a large army.” quote by Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9a/kevin-hearne-991_atticus_their-numbers-swell-like-viruses-until-t_655001.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9a/kevin-hearne-991_atticus_their-numbers-swell-like-viruses-until-t_655001.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9a/kevin-hearne-991_atticus_their-numbers-swell-like-viruses-until-t_655001.jpg) > ““Their numbers swell like viruses until they madden someone with a large army.”” [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Power grows exponentially, like a virus, overwhelming those who cannot control it. **In simple terms:** Power spreads quickly and can overwhelm. Key Takeaway Beware unchecked growth. Themes power control overwhelm Mood cautionary analytical Type philosophical strategic When to use this quote - political movements - viral marketing - epidemics - organizational change Key Concepts exponential growth viral spread Questions to Reflect On - What situations require limiting growth? - How can you harness rapid expansion positively? A Different Perspective Not all growth is negative; some expansion is beneficial. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atticus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atticus/) [Large Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/large-army-2305356/) [Like Viruses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-viruses-3570337/) [Numbers Swell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers-swell-5229802/) [Viruses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/viruses/) [Viruses Madden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/viruses-madden-5229803/) ## Related quotes > [Terrorism, like viruses, is everywhere. There is a global perfusion of terrorism, which accompanies any system of domination as though it were its shadow,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baudrillard/terrorism-like-viruses-is-everywhere-there-is-a-global-perfusion-of/) [Jean Baudrillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baudrillard/) > [Virtues, like viruses, have their seasons of contagion. When catastrophe strikes, generosity spikes like a fever. Courage spreads in the face of tyranny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/virtues-like-viruses-have-their-seasons-of-contagion-when-catastrophe/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [Ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread just like viruses do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/ideas-and-products-and-messages-and-behaviors-spread-just-like/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [Images contaminate us like viruses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/images-contaminate-us-like-viruses/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [Bits of ignorance are like viruses that are copied and spread by interaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-lloyd/bits-of-ignorance-are-like-viruses-that-are-copied-and-spread-by/) [Seth Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-lloyd/) > [Fighting with a large army under your command is nowise different from fighting with a small one: it is merely a question of instituting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/fighting-with-a-large-army-under-your-command-is-nowise-different/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [I don't think you're going to be seeing the U.S. employing large army divisions to deal with small terrorist groups again. I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/i-don-t-think-you-re-going-to-be-seeing-the-u-s-employing-large-army/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [Two armies that fight each other is like one large army that commits suicide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-barbusse/two-armies-that-fight-each-other-is-like-one-large-army-that-commits/) [Henri Barbusse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-barbusse/) > [The general of a large army may be defeated, but you cannot defeat the determined mind of a peasant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-general-of-a-large-army-may-be-defeated-but-you-cannot-defeat-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [“By giving words the latitude she does, (Marianne) Van Hirtum emphasizes their contagious qualities: they become almost like viruses, with which it is necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-richardson/by-giving-words-the-latitude-she-does-marianne-van-hirtum-emphasizes/) [Michael Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-richardson/) > [Israel is an independent country with a large army, and it has the ability to do what it thinks is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-sharon/israel-is-an-independent-country-with-a-large-army-and-it-has-the/) [Ariel Sharon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-sharon/) > [The natural disposition of most people is to clothe a commander of a large army whom they do not know, with almost superhuman abilities.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-natural-disposition-of-most-people-is-to-clothe-a-commander-of-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Canine Psychology 101. Seriously don't look at it, (the T bone steak) Look for the dastardly villain." Atticus”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/canine-psychology-101-seriously-don-t-look-at-it-the-t-bone-steak/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) > [“Dude is that was a Shakespeare quote duel, he just kicked your ass." Oberon I know, but I slipped in some T.S.Eliot and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/dude-is-that-was-a-shakespeare-quote-duel-he-just-kicked-your-ass/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) > [“Hopefully next time I won't be recovering from an assassination attempt, and then I'll do better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/hopefully-next-time-i-won-t-be-recovering-from-an-assassination/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) ## More by Kevin Hearne > [Whoa. He had ghouls on speed dial. My lawyer kicks so much ass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/whoa-he-had-ghouls-on-speed-dial-my-lawyer-kicks-so-much-ass/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) > [“I bet it’s a universal truth: You eat your pie or go home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/i-bet-it-s-a-universal-truth-you-eat-your-pie-or-go-home/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) > [“Like many silly codes of bravery and manliness, the meat of my father’s instruction on how to die well can be distilled to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/like-many-silly-codes-of-bravery-and-manliness-the-meat-of-my-father/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) > [Wow you need to get some sun.” “Shut up. I'm Irish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/wow-you-need-to-get-some-sun-shut-up-i-m-irish/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) > [“Hence the reason I encourage you to believe what you wish. The heaven of teh Pastafarians is supposed to have beer volcanoes, which sounds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/hence-the-reason-i-encourage-you-to-believe-what-you-wish-the-heaven/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) > [Awesome! I'd just bullied Jesus into doing a shot with me. Nobody would ever believe it, but I didn't care. We ordered the insanely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/awesome-i-d-just-bullied-jesus-into-doing-a-shot-with-me-nobody-would/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) > [“I thought for the longest time that chicken-fried steak was steak that had been fried by specially trained chickens,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/i-thought-for-the-longest-time-that-chicken-fried-steak-was-steak/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) > [When he said to give him the sword, I don’t think he meant for you to stick it in his guts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/when-he-said-to-give-him-the-sword-i-don-t-think-he-meant-for-you-to/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) > [“Oh sweet kraken tits.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/oh-sweet-kraken-tits/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) > [“No. See, when you throw up you're vomiting, but when you throw down you're starting a fight, as in throwing down the gauntlet." "Ohhhh,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/no-see-when-you-throw-up-you-re-vomiting-but-when-you-throw-down-you/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) > [“The grin on his face wasn’t the affable, friendly sort; instead, it was the sociopathic rictus of the irretrievably, bug-fuckeringly insane”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/the-grin-on-his-face-wasn-t-the-affable-friendly-sort-instead-it-was/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) > [“What sealed the deal for me was that the cloak wouldn't come off without a generous donation of my tears. Those used to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/what-sealed-the-deal-for-me-was-that-the-cloak-wouldn-t-come-off/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) > [On a Creep Scale from Hello Kitty to Cthulhu, I award it a Freddy Krueger. Granuaile MacTiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/on-a-creep-scale-from-hello-kitty-to-cthulhu-i-award-it-a-freddy/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) > [“So this means you're spoiling me right?" Can't Help it. You're the best hound ever. Oberon's tail thumped a few times and his mouth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/so-this-means-you-re-spoiling-me-right-can-t-help-it-you-re-the-best/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) > [“Out, out, thou strumpet Fortune!" I cried with all the venom of Charlton Heston. Oberon asked. "It's a Shakespearean word for whore." ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/out-out-thou-strumpet-fortune-i-cried-with-all-the-venom-of-charlton/) [kevin hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) [Explore all 311 Kevin Hearne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) ## More Atticus quotes > [“It was her chaos that made her beautiful. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atticus-poetry/it-was-her-chaos-that-made-her-beautiful/) [Atticus Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atticus-poetry/) > [“Atticus adjusted his glasses as he peered down at the blanket. “Hey, is that the book Nellie told us about?” Jake’s eyes flicked to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-watson/atticus-adjusted-his-glasses-as-he-peered-down-at-the-blanket-hey-is/) [Jude Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jude-watson/) > [“She knew she was really sad when she stopped loving the things she loved.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atticus-poetry/she-knew-she-was-really-sad-when-she-stopped-loving-the-things-she/) [Atticus Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atticus-poetry/) > [“She was afraid of heights but she was much more afraid of never flying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atticus-poetry/she-was-afraid-of-heights-but-she-was-much-more-afraid-of-never-flying/) [Atticus Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atticus-poetry/) > [“The universe is exactly the size that your soul can encompass. Some people live in extremely small worlds, and some live in a world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atticus-hounded-the-iron-druid-chronicles-by-kevin-hearne/the-universe-is-exactly-the-size-that-your-soul-can-encompass-some/) [Atticus Hounded The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atticus-hounded-the-iron-druid-chronicles-by-kevin-hearne/) > [“Art takes time— Monet grew his gardens before he painted them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atticus-poetry/art-takes-time-monet-grew-his-gardens-before-he-painted-them/) [Atticus Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atticus-poetry/) > [“She was cool— the whole world seemed to spin around her in smooth jazz.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atticus-poetry/she-was-cool-the-whole-world-seemed-to-spin-around-her-in-smooth-jazz/) [Atticus Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atticus-poetry/) > [“Do not fall in love with me, for I will break your heart, long before you realize, you were going to break mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atticus-poetry/do-not-fall-in-love-with-me-for-i-will-break-your-heart-long-before/) [Atticus Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atticus-poetry/) > [“Atticus was feeble: he was nearly fifty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/atticus-was-feeble-he-was-nearly-fifty/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“One day I’ll paint the perfect sunset-- if I can only find the words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atticus-poetry/one-day-i-ll-paint-the-perfect-sunset-if-i-can-only-find-the-words/) [Atticus Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atticus-poetry/) > [“A few drinks and the world was hers— she wore her whiskey like a loaded gun.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atticus-poetry/a-few-drinks-and-the-world-was-hers-she-wore-her-whiskey-like-a/) [Atticus Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atticus-poetry/) > [hold your head high and keep those fists down - Atticus Finch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/hold-your-head-high-and-keep-those-fists-down-atticus-finch/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“From the moment I saw her I knew this one was worth the broken heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atticus-poetry/from-the-moment-i-saw-her-i-knew-this-one-was-worth-the-broken-heart/) [Atticus Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atticus-poetry/) > [“There are magnets in my bones for that iron in her blood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atticus-poetry/there-are-magnets-in-my-bones-for-that-iron-in-her-blood/) [Atticus Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atticus-poetry/) > [“No code mattered to her before she broke it, but it came crashing down on her afterwards." - Atticus Finch”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee-to-kill-a-mockingbird/no-code-mattered-to-her-before-she-broke-it-but-it-came-crashing-down/) [Harper Lee To Kill A Mockingbird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee-to-kill-a-mockingbird/) [Browse all 178 Atticus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atticus/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Their numbers swell like viruses until they madden someone with a large army.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kevin Hearne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/their-numbers-swell-like-viruses-until-they-madden-someone-with-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Atticus" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/their-numbers-swell-like-viruses-until-they-madden-someone-with-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9a/kevin-hearne-991_atticus_their-numbers-swell-like-viruses-until-t_655001.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9a/kevin-hearne-991_atticus_their-numbers-swell-like-viruses-until-t_655001.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9a/kevin-hearne-991_atticus_their-numbers-swell-like-viruses-until-t_655001.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Their numbers swell like viruses until they madden someone with a large army.” — Kevin Hearne", "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": "Kevin Hearne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Their numbers swell like viruses until...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/their-numbers-swell-like-viruses-until-they-madden-someone-with-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/their-numbers-swell-like-viruses-until-they-madden-someone-with-a/#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 } } ] } ```