Art Quote by Kurt Vonnegut
““Nowadays, of course, just about our only solvent industry is the merchandising of death, bankrolled by our grandchildren, so that the message of our principal art forms, movies and television and political speeches and newspaper columns, for the sake of the economy, simply has to be this: War is hell, all right, but the only way a boy can become a man is in a shoot-out of some kind, preferably, but by no means necessarily, on a battlefield.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview, The New Yorker, 1972
The quote critiques how modern culture glorifies violence as a rite of passage, driven by economic interests and media.
In simple terms: Media sells violence as a path to adulthood.
Key Takeaway
Question media narratives that link masculinity to war.
Themes
culture
media
violence
masculinity
economics
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
analytical
commentary
When to use this quote
- film criticism
- political commentary
- education
- parenting
- policy making
Key Concepts
propaganda
social critique
masculine identity
Questions to Reflect On
- How does media shape our view of masculinity?
- What alternatives to violent rites of passage exist?
A Different Perspective
It overlooks non‑violent ways to achieve maturity and the harm of glorifying war.
![“That was an ordinary way for a patriotic American to talk back then. It's hard to believe how sick of war we used to be.[...]We used to call armaments manufacturers "Merchants of Death." Can you imagine that? Nowadays, of course, just about our only solvent industry is the merchandising of death…” quote by Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8fa/kurt-vonnegut-41_art-form_that-was-an-ordinary-way-for-a-patriotic_700049.jpg)
![“Thomas Jefferson High School [..] His high school was named after a slave owner who was also one of the world’s greatest theoreticians on the subject of human liberty.” quote by Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/73a/kurt-vonnegut-41_freedom_thomas-jefferson-high-school-his-high-sc_9727.jpg)
