--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have got into the habit of admiring…" description: "\"“We have got into the habit of admiring colossal bandits, whose opulence is revered by the entire world, yet whose existence, once we stop to examine i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b9/louis-ferdinand-celine-1139_class-warfare_we-have-got-into-the-habit-of-admiring-c_1916953.jpg" --- # We have got into the habit of admiring colossal bandits… ![“We have got into the habit of admiring colossal bandits, whose opulence is revered by the entire world, yet whose existence, once we stop to examine it, proves to be one long crime repeated ad infinitum, but those same bandits are heaped with glory, honors, and power, their crimes are hallowed by…” quote by Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b9/louis-ferdinand-celine-1139_class-warfare_we-have-got-into-the-habit-of-admiring-c_1916953.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b9/louis-ferdinand-celine-1139_class-warfare_we-have-got-into-the-habit-of-admiring-c_1916953.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9b9/louis-ferdinand-celine-1139_class-warfare_we-have-got-into-the-habit-of-admiring-c_1916953.jpg) > ““We have got into the habit of admiring colossal bandits, whose opulence is revered by the entire world, yet whose existence, once we stop to examine it, proves to be one long crime repeated ad infinitum, but those same bandits are heaped with glory, honors, and power, their crimes are hallowed by the law of the land, whereas, as far back in history as the eye can see—and history, as you know is my business—everything conspires to show that a venial theft, especially of inglorious foodstuffs, such as bread crusts, ham, or cheese, unfailingly subjects its perpetrator to irreparable opprobrium, the categoric condemnation of the community, major punishment, automatic dishonor, and inexpiable shame, and this for two reasons, first because the perpetrator of such an offense is usually poor, which in itself connotes basic unworthiness, and secondly because his act implies, as it were, a tacit reproach to the community. A poor man’s theft is seen as a malicious attempt at individual redress . . . Where would we be? Note accordingly that in all countries the penalties for petty theft are extremely severe, not only as a means of defending society, but also as a stern admonition to the unfortunate to know their place, stick to their caste, and behave themselves, joyfully resigned to go on dying of hunger and misery down through the centuries forever and ever …”” [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage critiques how societies glorify powerful yet criminal elites while harshly punishing petty theft, especially by the poor, revealing systemic injustice **In simple terms:** Society rewards the rich and punishes the poor unfairly Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge double standards in justice Themes inequality power justice class morality Mood critical somber Type political social commentary When to use this quote - Criminal justice reform - poverty advocacy - media analysis - public policy debate Key Concepts Social critique economic disparity legal ethics Questions to Reflect On - What examples of double standards have you observed? - How can societies balance law and compassion? A Different Perspective The view may oversimplify complex historical contexts and ignore nuances of law enforcement ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bandits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bandits/) [Bandits Opulence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bandits-opulence-2920849/) [Class warfare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class-warfare/) [Colossal Bandits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colossal-bandits-2920850/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Dishonor Inexpiable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dishonor-inexpiable-2920851/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Theft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theft/) [Theft Especially](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theft-especially-2920852/) ## Related quotes > [“How imperious the homicidal madness must have become if they’re willing to pardon—no, forget!—the theft of a can of meat! True, we have got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/how-imperious-the-homicidal-madness-must-have-become-if-they-re/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [This is what class warfare looks like: The Business Roundtable - representing Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase and others - has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/this-is-what-class-warfare-looks-like-the-business-roundtable/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [If we're not going to tax the rich anymore, we're going to create class warfare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/if-we-re-not-going-to-tax-the-rich-anymore-we-re-going-to-create/) [Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/) > [“We attack whatever is different, anything we don’t understand, anything that might change our world, our environment, reduce our chances of survival. Racism, class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-g-riddle/we-attack-whatever-is-different-anything-we-don-t-understand-anything/) [A.G. Riddle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-g-riddle/) > [ \[The word class has\] been excised from the acceptable political vocabulary, except in the limited usage of right-wingers when they accuse liberals of inciting… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-shearer/the-word-class-has-been-excised-from-the-acceptable-political/) [Harry Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-shearer/) > [The interesting thing about class warfare is that it's only class warfare if it's up, not down. If you talk about welfare cheats or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-trillin/the-interesting-thing-about-class-warfare-is-that-it-s-only-class/) [Calvin Trillin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-trillin/) > [Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, . . . neither persons nor property will be safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/where-justice-is-denied-where-poverty-is-enforced-neither-persons-nor/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [The problem: Democrats have to drop their stupid class-warfare rhetoric. With 74 million Americans owning stock in one form or another, anything which helps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-morris/the-problem-democrats-have-to-drop-their-stupid-class-warfare/) [Dick Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-morris/) > [Communism teaches and seeks two objectives: unrelenting class warfare and the complete eradication of private ownership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-pius-xi/communism-teaches-and-seeks-two-objectives-unrelenting-class-warfare/) [Pope Pius XI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-pius-xi/) > [Are we interested in treating the symptoms of poverty and economic stagnation through income redistribution and class warfare, or do we want to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/are-we-interested-in-treating-the-symptoms-of-poverty-and-economic/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [Sexism, like racism, goes with us into the next century. I see class warfare as overshadowing both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/constance-baker-motley/sexism-like-racism-goes-with-us-into-the-next-century-i-see-class/) [Constance Baker Motley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/constance-baker-motley/) > [More important than anything else is for Americans to wise up to class warfare demagoguery and reject the politics of envy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-e-williams/more-important-than-anything-else-is-for-americans-to-wise-up-to/) [Walter E. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-e-williams/) > [“What you read at Columbia is Plato's Republic and Homer's Iliad. What you learn at Columbia is that reading isn't education. Education is figuring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-rall/what-you-read-at-columbia-is-plato-s-republic-and-homer-s-iliad-what/) [Ted Rall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-rall/) > [Class warfare or soaking the so-called rich may make for good populist demagoguery and serve the political ends of the governing masterminds, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/class-warfare-or-soaking-the-so-called-rich-may-make-for-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money. Take boots, for example. He earned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-reason-that-the-rich-were-so-rich-vimes-reasoned-was-because-they/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More by Louis-Ferdinand Céline > [The beginning of genius is being scared shitless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/the-beginning-of-genius-is-being-scared-shitless/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“All our misery comes from wanting at all costs to go on being Tom, Dick, or Harry, year in, year out. This body of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/all-our-misery-comes-from-wanting-at-all-costs-to-go-on-being-tom/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“Now I know... we have at least two friends!... Cillie von Leiden and the hunchback... not bad in our situation... or, come right down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/now-i-know-we-have-at-least-two-friends-cillie-von-leiden-and-the/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [I hadn't found out yet that mankind consists of two very different races, the rich and the poor. It took me ... and plenty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/i-hadn-t-found-out-yet-that-mankind-consists-of-two-very-different/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“Lie, copulate, and die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/lie-copulate-and-die/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [Since life consists of madness spiked with lies, the farther you are from each other the more lies you can put into it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/since-life-consists-of-madness-spiked-with-lies-the-farther-you-are/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [In my room I'd barely closed my eyes when the blonde from the movie house came along and sang her whole song of sorrow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/in-my-room-i-d-barely-closed-my-eyes-when-the-blonde-from-the-movie/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [There's a point of poverty at which the spirit isn't with the body all the time. It finds the body really too unbearable. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/there-s-a-point-of-poverty-at-which-the-spirit-isn-t-with-the-body/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“You can be a virgin in horror the same as in sex.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/you-can-be-a-virgin-in-horror-the-same-as-in-sex/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [You can lose your way groping among the shadows of the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/you-can-lose-your-way-groping-among-the-shadows-of-the-past/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“People cling to their rotten memories, to all their misfortunes, and you can't pry them loose. These things keep them busy. They avenge themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/people-cling-to-their-rotten-memories-to-all-their-misfortunes-and/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“He couldn't have explained this misery of his, it exceeded his education.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/he-couldn-t-have-explained-this-misery-of-his-it-exceeded-his/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“Hurry hurry, cram yourself full of dreams to carry you through the life that's waiting for you outside, when you leave here, to help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/hurry-hurry-cram-yourself-full-of-dreams-to-carry-you-through-the/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [The poetry of heroism appeals irresistibly to those who don't go to a war, and even more to those whom the war is making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/the-poetry-of-heroism-appeals-irresistibly-to-those-who-don-t-go-to-a/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“While he was cautiously preambling, I tried to form a picture of all he did each day to earn his calories, all his grimaces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/while-he-was-cautiously-preambling-i-tried-to-form-a-picture-of-all/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) [Explore all 212 Louis-Ferdinand Céline quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) ## More Bandits quotes > [The most effective method of propaganda directed at the enemy forces is to release captured soldiers and give the wounded medical treatment... Whenever soldiers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/the-most-effective-method-of-propaganda-directed-at-the-enemy-forces/) [Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/) > [Time is a vindictive bandit to steal the beauty of our former selves. We are left with sagging, rippled flesh and burning gums with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael/time-is-a-vindictive-bandit-to-steal-the-beauty-of-our-former-selves/) [Raphael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael/) > [I foresee that man will resign himself each day to new abominations, and soon that only bandits and soldiers will be left.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/i-foresee-that-man-will-resign-himself-each-day-to-new-abominations/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [The current health care takeover proposals feature a crucial payoff to Big Labor - a golden exemption from any tax on union members' generous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-malkin/the-current-health-care-takeover-proposals-feature-a-crucial-payoff/) [Michelle Malkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-malkin/) > [“We heard bandits return several nights after that, but they never again entered the house. It wasn't until after the war that I learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-deibler-rose/we-heard-bandits-return-several-nights-after-that-but-they-never/) [Darlene Deibler Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darlene-deibler-rose/) > [Taxes are a barbaric remnant of ancient times in which early farmers, tied to the land, no longer able to roam freely, unable to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/taxes-are-a-barbaric-remnant-of-ancient-times-in-which-early-farmers/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [“In medieval times, contrary to popular belief, most knights were bandits, mercenaries, lawless brigands, skinners, highwaymen, and thieves. The supposed chivalry of Charlemagne and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tod-wodicka/in-medieval-times-contrary-to-popular-belief-most-knights-were/) [Tod Wodicka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tod-wodicka/) > [In childhood, death stirred me not; in middle age, it pursued me like a prowling bandit on the road; now, grown an old man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/in-childhood-death-stirred-me-not-in-middle-age-it-pursued-me-like-a/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [The more prohibitions there are, the poorer the people will be. The more laws are promulgated, the more thieves and bandits there will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-more-prohibitions-there-are-the-poorer-the-people-will-be-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [I would like to stress here that a lasting peace in the Chechen republic and so-called peace talks with the bandits are not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-yeltsin/i-would-like-to-stress-here-that-a-lasting-peace-in-the-chechen/) [Boris Yeltsin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-yeltsin/) > [“No wonder there are bandits in the Campo when there are none but thieves, swindlers, and sanguinary macaques to rule us...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/no-wonder-there-are-bandits-in-the-campo-when-there-are-none-but/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) > [Take away the Holocaust and what do you have left? Without their precious Holocaust, what are the Jews? Just a grubby little bunch of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-covington/take-away-the-holocaust-and-what-do-you-have-left-without-their/) [Harold Covington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-covington/) > [“Numbers are outlaws--bandits. They make rules in your mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-emerson/numbers-are-outlaws-bandits-they-make-rules-in-your-mind/) [Kevin Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-emerson/) > [Guy Rivers, a conventional piece as regards the love affair which makes a part of the plot, is a tale of deadly strife between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-clinton-van-doren/guy-rivers-a-conventional-piece-as-regards-the-love-affair-which/) [Carl Clinton Van Doren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-clinton-van-doren/) > [Two weeks after having Bandit I was in a recording studio. I hadnt yet really fully understood what being a dad was and, man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-way/two-weeks-after-having-bandit-i-was-in-a-recording-studio-i-hadnt-yet/) [Gerard Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-way/) [Browse all 91 Bandits quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bandits/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We have got into the habit of admiring colossal bandits, whose opulence is revered by the entire world, yet whose existence, once we stop to examine it, proves to be one long crime repeated ad infinitum, but those same bandits are heaped with glory, honors, and power, their crimes are hallowed by the law of the land, whereas, as far back in history as the eye can see—and history, as you know is my business—everything conspires to show that a venial theft, especially of inglorious foodstuffs, such as bread crusts, ham, or cheese, unfailingly subjects its perpetrator to irreparable opprobrium, the categoric condemnation of the community, major punishment, automatic dishonor, and inexpiable shame, and this for two reasons, first because the perpetrator of such an offense is usually poor, which in itself connotes basic unworthiness, and secondly because his act implies, as it were, a tacit reproach to the community. A poor man’s theft is seen as a malicious attempt at individual redress . . . Where would we be? 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