--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: These were stone-cold men trained to…" description: "\"“These were stone-cold men trained to kill—not with heart and fire and fury, not with the joy of glorious battle, but as a single, unthinking whole, li..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/078/lesley-livingston-3307_drones_these-were-stone-cold-men-trained-to-kil_498421.jpg" --- # These were stone-cold men trained to kill—not with heart… ![“These were stone-cold men trained to kill—not with heart and fire and fury, not with the joy of glorious battle, but as a single, unthinking whole, like drones in a beehive.” quote by Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/078/lesley-livingston-3307_drones_these-were-stone-cold-men-trained-to-kil_498421.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/078/lesley-livingston-3307_drones_these-were-stone-cold-men-trained-to-kil_498421.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/078/lesley-livingston-3307_drones_these-were-stone-cold-men-trained-to-kil_498421.jpg) > ““These were stone-cold men trained to kill—not with heart and fire and fury, not with the joy of glorious battle, but as a single, unthinking whole, like drones in a beehive.”” [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Soldiers are portrayed as emotionless, hive‑mind drones, lacking individuality and passion. **In simple terms:** War machines act without feeling. Key Takeaway Recognize the humanity in all people. Themes war dehumanization conformity Mood critical somber Type analytical ethical When to use this quote - combat training - ethical debates - human rights advocacy Key Concepts military automation loss of self Questions to Reflect On - How does dehumanizing language affect perception? - What can restore individuality in conflict? A Different Perspective Overgeneralizing can ignore individual bravery. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Drones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drones/) [Old men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-men/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [Luxurious kings are to their people lost, They live like drones, upon the public cost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/luxurious-kings-are-to-their-people-lost-they-live-like-drones-upon/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [“We shy are like drones. No need to explain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-silva/we-shy-are-like-drones-no-need-to-explain/) Rene Silva > [Men have been trained and conditioned by women, not unlike the way Pavlov conditioned his dogs, into becoming their slaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-vilar/men-have-been-trained-and-conditioned-by-women-not-unlike-the-way-2/) [Esther Vilar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-vilar/) > [Men are trained since birth that happiness comes from tities or bottles. Stay thirsty my friends!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/men-are-trained-since-birth-that-happiness-comes-from-tities-or/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We'd also have to infiltrate the army too, because they are well trained to kill us all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/we-d-also-have-to-infiltrate-the-army-too-because-they-are-well/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Do as you are trained... AND KILL THE MALAYSIAN PRIME MINISTER! -Mugatu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoolander/do-as-you-are-trained-and-kill-the-malaysian-prime-minister-mugatu/) [Zoolander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoolander/) > [Half the world's troubles come from men not being trained to resent a fallacy as much as an insult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/half-the-world-s-troubles-come-from-men-not-being-trained-to-resent-a/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [“A lion who has been trained to kill for sport”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-s-wrights/a-lion-who-has-been-trained-to-kill-for-sport/) [D.S. Wrights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-s-wrights/) > [I eat breakfast 300 yards from 4000 Cubans, who are trained to kill me, so don't think for one second that you can come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/i-eat-breakfast-300-yards-from-4000-cubans-who-are-trained-to-kill-me/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [Men have been trained and conditioned by women, not unlike the way Pavlov conditioned his dogs, into becoming their slaves. As compensation for their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-vilar/men-have-been-trained-and-conditioned-by-women-not-unlike-the-way/) [Esther Vilar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-vilar/) > [“Somewhere, there is a Moatengator trained to kill you. He was trained with minimal food, water or sleep. He was trained day and night…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/somewhere-there-is-a-moatengator-trained-to-kill-you-he-was-trained/) [José N. 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When that drone shot carried us through… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aisha-hinds/i-became-an-instant-fan-of-the-show-underground-seconds-into-the/) [Aisha Hinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aisha-hinds/) ## More by Lesley Livingston > [“That doesn’'t happeneverytime you kiss someone, does it? ”" Maddox said to Chloe, gasping through the pain of his double injuries.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/that-doesn-t-happeneverytime-you-kiss-someone-does-it-maddox-said-to/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) > [“But as I looked up at him, I saw genuine worry in his eyes. I realized he really had thought I was hurt. “Mael,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/but-as-i-looked-up-at-him-i-saw-genuine-worry-in-his-eyes-i-realized/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) > [“Then she began to mutter to herself and gesture to the empty air. oh. Sonny sighed. Just another central park crazy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/then-she-began-to-mutter-to-herself-and-gesture-to-the-empty-air-oh/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) > [“I thought you said you dislocated Selene’'s shoulder!”" Sonny called to Cait, who’'d tumbled for safety into the black water behind the stern of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/i-thought-you-said-you-dislocated-selene-s-shoulder-sonny-called-to/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) > [“She drew herself up and took in a breath, concentrating on her inflection so that she could indulge him in his game. Then she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/she-drew-herself-up-and-took-in-a-breath-concentrating-on-her/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) > [“Evil really needs to step up its game.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/evil-really-needs-to-step-up-its-game/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) > [“What about the whiskey?" Jack said as they ran. "Won't it keep them out?" The Green Maidens don't drink anything but blood." Bob's disembodied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/what-about-the-whiskey-jack-said-as-they-ran-won-t-it-keep-them-out/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) > [“Sonny pulled Lucky up short and swung around to face Fennrys. "I'm not afraid to die. I just don't want to die surprised. 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It's one of the things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/some-things-you-just-have-to-take-on-faith-and-believe-in-at-the-risk/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) > [“But then my attention was ripped away from him as, with another blast of the war horn, she appeared: the Lady Achillea, lit by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/but-then-my-attention-was-ripped-away-from-him-as-with-another-blast/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) > [“As the sun sank over the far purple hills, I imagined how he would welcome me into his war band with silver words praising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/as-the-sun-sank-over-the-far-purple-hills-i-imagined-how-he-would/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) > [“Well then, what’s the problem?” “It’s not honorable!” “Oh.” Elka snorted. “Is that all?” “All?” I gaped at her. “It’s everything!” She rolled her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/well-then-what-s-the-problem-it-s-not-honorable-oh-elka-snorted-is/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) > [“He looked taken aback, but I didn’t care if I’d offended him. I was about to be sold. And if it amused this pampered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-livingston/he-looked-taken-aback-but-i-didn-t-care-if-i-d-offended-him-i-was/) [Lesley Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) [Explore all 130 Lesley Livingston quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-livingston/) ## More Drones quotes > [ I became an instant fan of the show \[Underground\] seconds into the opening frames of the pilot. 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Drone pilots suffer more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/digiphrenia-how-technology-lets-us-be-in-more-than-one-place-and-self/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [The president and other government officials denounce school violence, yet still advocate for endless undeclared wars abroad and easy abortion at home. U.S. drone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/the-president-and-other-government-officials-denounce-school-violence/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [Four- and five-year-olds' play is permeated with the rankest sexism. 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