--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is no morality in war', they said…" description: "\"“There is no morality in war', they said, 'but cannibals never killed more in one day that they could eat. In your wars, thousands are killed in a few ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bb/marlo-morgan-15020_morality_there-is-no-morality-in-war-they-said-bu_1757297.jpg" --- # There is no morality in war', they said, 'but cannibals… ![“There is no morality in war', they said, 'but cannibals never killed more in one day that they could eat. In your wars, thousands are killed in a few minutes. Perhaps it might be worth suggesting to you leaders that both parties in your war agree to five minutes of combat. Then let all the parents…” quote by Marlo Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bb/marlo-morgan-15020_morality_there-is-no-morality-in-war-they-said-bu_1757297.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bb/marlo-morgan-15020_morality_there-is-no-morality-in-war-they-said-bu_1757297.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bb/marlo-morgan-15020_morality_there-is-no-morality-in-war-they-said-bu_1757297.jpg) > ““There is no morality in war', they said, 'but cannibals never killed more in one day that they could eat. In your wars, thousands are killed in a few minutes. Perhaps it might be worth suggesting to you leaders that both parties in your war agree to five minutes of combat. Then let all the parents come to the battlefield and collect the pieces and parts of their children, take them home and mourn and bury them. After that is over, another five minutes of battle might or might not be agreed upon. It is difficult to make sense out of senselessness.”” [Marlo Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-morgan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. War’s senselessness could be mitigated by brief, agreed combat, highlighting human cost. **In simple terms:** Short combat to expose tragedy. Key Takeaway Consider humanity in conflict. Themes war morality human cost Mood somber critical Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - peace negotiations - military ethics - public awareness Key Concepts senselessness compromise Questions to Reflect On - What alternatives reduce war suffering? - How to enforce mutual ceasefires? A Different Perspective Practical implementation of limited combat is unrealistic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [There is no morality in war. Morality is the privilege of those judging from the distance. War is only death and destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cory/there-is-no-morality-in-war-morality-is-the-privilege-of-those/) John Cory > [I think that one can seek a way to eliminate war, and still agree that fighting the Nazis was a good thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaron-lanier/i-think-that-one-can-seek-a-way-to-eliminate-war-and-still-agree-that/) [Jaron Lanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaron-lanier/) > [Love is like a war, you either agree to it or not but it will always have damage to your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taah/love-is-like-a-war-you-either-agree-to-it-or-not-but-it-will-always/) Taah > [“You do not need commandments to tell you what is right and wrong, you need reason. YOU NEED TO THINK. What are the consequences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kassandra-dick/you-do-not-need-commandments-to-tell-you-what-is-right-and-wrong-you/) Kassandra Dick > [We are all potentially such sick men. The sanest and best of us are of one clay with lunatics and prison-inmates. And whenever we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/we-are-all-potentially-such-sick-men-the-sanest-and-best-of-us-are-of/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [For the utilitarian, there is a fact of the matter about the good (the general happiness, or whatever conception of the good the utilitarian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/for-the-utilitarian-there-is-a-fact-of-the-matter-about-the-good-the/) [Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/) > [“Ethics is a dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baxter/ethics-is-a-dream/) [Charles Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baxter/) > [IMMORAL, adj. Inexpedient. Whatever in the long run and with regard to the greater number of instances men find to be generally inexpedient comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/immoral-adj-inexpedient-whatever-in-the-long-run-and-with-regard-to/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [What our species needs, above all else, is a generally accepted ethical system that is compatible with the scientific knowledge we now possess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-our-species-needs-above-all-else-is-a-generally-accepted-ethical/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Unfortunately, moral beauty in art - like physical beauty in a person - is extremely perishable. It is nowhere so durable as artistic or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/unfortunately-moral-beauty-in-art-like-physical-beauty-in-a-person-is/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [Even though you can't expect to defeat the absurdity of the world, you must make that attempt. That's morality, that's religion. That's art. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-ochs/even-though-you-can-t-expect-to-defeat-the-absurdity-of-the-world-you/) [Phil Ochs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-ochs/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More by Marlo Morgan > [The only way to pass a test is to take the test](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-morgan/the-only-way-to-pass-a-test-is-to-take-the-test/) [Marlo Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-morgan/) > [The releasing of attachment to object and certain beliefs was already indelibly written as a very necessary step in my human progress toward being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-morgan/the-releasing-of-attachment-to-object-and-certain-beliefs-was-already/) [Marlo Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-morgan/) > [“Everyone has blood and bones; the important one is your intention and your soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-morgan/everyone-has-blood-and-bones-the-important-one-is-your-intention-and/) [Marlo Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-morgan/) > [Humankind is closer to experiencing paradise than ever before. We have the technology to feed every person in the world and the knowledge to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-morgan/humankind-is-closer-to-experiencing-paradise-than-ever-before-we-have/) [Marlo Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-morgan/) > [If it is in the highest good for all life everywhere...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-morgan/if-it-is-in-the-highest-good-for-all-life-everywhere/) [Marlo Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-morgan/) > [I learned I could live more than one life in a lifetime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-morgan/i-learned-i-could-live-more-than-one-life-in-a-lifetime/) [Marlo Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-morgan/) > [When you have a thought that is not in alignment with your highest vision change to a new thought! Then and there. When you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-morgan/when-you-have-a-thought-that-is-not-in-alignment-with-your-highest/) [Marlo Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-morgan/) > [You either have faith or fear, not both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-morgan/you-either-have-faith-or-fear-not-both/) [Marlo Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-morgan/) > [I learned that as long as I had anything in my heart or head I still felt necessary to hide, it would not work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-morgan/i-learned-that-as-long-as-i-had-anything-in-my-heart-or-head-i-still/) [Marlo Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-morgan/) > [Born empty handed, Die empty handed. I witnessed life at its fullest, Empty handed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-morgan/born-empty-handed-die-empty-handed-i-witnessed-life-at-its-fullest/) [Marlo Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-morgan/) > [“I also did something that seems to come naturally to females, although I am sure we are not taught to do it; I placed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-morgan/i-also-did-something-that-seems-to-come-naturally-to-females-although/) [Marlo Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-morgan/) > [...the limitations of my endurance were expanded over and over. At times I felt that if I did not sit down I would collapse.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-morgan/the-limitations-of-my-endurance-were-expanded-over-and-over-at-times/) [Marlo Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-morgan/) > [Truth is truth. If you hurt someone, you hurt self. If you help someone, you help self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-morgan/truth-is-truth-if-you-hurt-someone-you-hurt-self-if-you-help-someone/) [Marlo Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-morgan/) > [The real people nation have for centuries had the practice at birth of speaking the same first phrase to all newborns. Each person hears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-morgan/the-real-people-nation-have-for-centuries-had-the-practice-at-birth/) [Marlo Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-morgan/) > [If I simply live the principles that appear to be truth for me, I will touch the lives of those I am destined to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-morgan/if-i-simply-live-the-principles-that-appear-to-be-truth-for-me-i-will/) [Marlo Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-morgan/) [Explore all 43 Marlo Morgan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-morgan/) ## More Morality quotes > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Even though you can't expect to defeat the absurdity of the world, you must make that attempt. That's morality, that's religion. That's art. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-ochs/even-though-you-can-t-expect-to-defeat-the-absurdity-of-the-world-you/) [Phil Ochs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-ochs/) > [Unfortunately, moral beauty in art - like physical beauty in a person - is extremely perishable. It is nowhere so durable as artistic or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/unfortunately-moral-beauty-in-art-like-physical-beauty-in-a-person-is/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [What our species needs, above all else, is a generally accepted ethical system that is compatible with the scientific knowledge we now possess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-our-species-needs-above-all-else-is-a-generally-accepted-ethical/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [IMMORAL, adj. Inexpedient. Whatever in the long run and with regard to the greater number of instances men find to be generally inexpedient comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/immoral-adj-inexpedient-whatever-in-the-long-run-and-with-regard-to/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [“Ethics is a dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baxter/ethics-is-a-dream/) [Charles Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baxter/) > [For the utilitarian, there is a fact of the matter about the good (the general happiness, or whatever conception of the good the utilitarian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/for-the-utilitarian-there-is-a-fact-of-the-matter-about-the-good-the/) [Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/) > [We are all potentially such sick men. The sanest and best of us are of one clay with lunatics and prison-inmates. And whenever we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/we-are-all-potentially-such-sick-men-the-sanest-and-best-of-us-are-of/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [“You do not need commandments to tell you what is right and wrong, you need reason. YOU NEED TO THINK. What are the consequences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kassandra-dick/you-do-not-need-commandments-to-tell-you-what-is-right-and-wrong-you/) Kassandra Dick > [Humans suffer from self-centred notions as to the nature of life. Humans assume that alien life forms should conform to standards that match our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-perry/humans-suffer-from-self-centred-notions-as-to-the-nature-of-life/) [Steve Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-perry/) > [“In a fallen world, it was hard to do unambiguous good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-keneally/in-a-fallen-world-it-was-hard-to-do-unambiguous-good/) [Thomas Keneally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-keneally/) > [There's such cultural rot taking place, such a disintegration throughout our culture. Values, morality, you name it. Standards have been relaxed, and people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-s-such-cultural-rot-taking-place-such-a-disintegration/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) [Browse all 4,097 Morality quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There is no morality in war', they said, 'but cannibals never killed more in one day that they could eat. In your wars, thousands are killed in a few minutes. Perhaps it might be worth suggesting to you leaders that both parties in your war agree to five minutes of combat. Then let all the parents come to the battlefield and collect the pieces and parts of their children, take them home and mourn and bury them. After that is over, another five minutes of battle might or might not be agreed upon. 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