Another man Quote by Margaret Atwood
““Why do men want to kill the bodies of other men? Women don't want to kill the bodies of other women, by and large. As far as we know. Here are some traditional reasons: Loot. Territory. Lust for power. Hormones. Adrenaline high. Rage. God. Flag. Honor. Righteous anger. Revenge. Oppression. Slavery. Starvation. Defense of one's life. Love; or, a desire to protect the women and children. From what? From the bodies of other men. What men are most afraid of is not lions, not snakes, not the dark, not women. Not any more. What men are most afraid of is the body of another man. Men's bodies are the most dangerous thing on earth.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Nature of Violence, Margaret Atwood, 2010
Men fear other men’s bodies because they symbolize power, mortality, and threat, unlike other fears.
In simple terms: Men dread other men’s bodies as symbols of danger.
Key Takeaway
Understand underlying fears to reduce violence.
Themes
war
masculinity
fear
power
humanity
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
essay
observational
When to use this quote
- military training
- gender studies
- peacebuilding
- personal introspection
Key Concepts
psychology
anthropology
conflict
Questions to Reflect On
- Why does male bodily threat dominate?
- How can societies mitigate this fear?
A Different Perspective
Fear is complex; not all men share this perspective.
![“You are Soul’ and this is Pudgal [the body-complex, the one that charges-discharges]! If you become afraid, the body-complex will attack you! The whole world may do anything but you should not get startled! This body may get paralyzed or get burned but ‘I (the Self) never incurs any loss’. If loss…” quote by Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3bb/dada-bhagwan-31_body-complex_you-are-soul-and-this-is-pudgal-the-body_1234486.jpg)
![“Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this…” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/449/abraham-lincoln-88_adoption_next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in_1828.jpg)
