--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The use of violence in our struggle would…" description: "\"The use of violence in our struggle would be both impractical and immoral. To meet hate with retaliatory hate would do nothing but intensify the existe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d2/martin-luther-king-jr-127_aim_the-use-of-violence-in-our-struggle-woul_1651696.jpg" --- # The use of violence in our struggle would be both… ![“The use of violence in our struggle would be both impractical and immoral. To meet hate with retaliatory hate would do nothing but intensify the existence of evil in the universe. Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness. We must meet the forces of hate with…” quote by Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d2/martin-luther-king-jr-127_aim_the-use-of-violence-in-our-struggle-woul_1651696.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d2/martin-luther-king-jr-127_aim_the-use-of-violence-in-our-struggle-woul_1651696.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d2/martin-luther-king-jr-127_aim_the-use-of-violence-in-our-struggle-woul_1651696.jpg) > “The use of violence in our struggle would be both impractical and immoral. To meet hate with retaliatory hate would do nothing but intensify the existence of evil in the universe. Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness. We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love; we must meet physical force with soul force. Our aim must never be to defeat or humiliate the white man, but to win his friendship and understanding.” [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Violence escalates conflict; love counters hate and transforms relationships. **In simple terms:** Violence breeds more violence; love breaks the cycle. Key Takeaway Choose love over force. Themes nonviolence love conflict resolution social justice Mood determined hopeful Type ethical motivational When to use this quote - civil rights activism - community building - personal relationships - conflict mediation Key Concepts ethical philosophy psychology of hate transformative power of love Questions to Reflect On - How can love be practically applied in hostile situations? - What personal practices sustain nonviolent responses? A Different Perspective Violence may seem expedient in urgent threats. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) [Begets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begets/) [Defeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Greater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greater/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Hate Retaliatory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate-retaliatory-659990/) [Hate Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate-violence-380212/) [Humiliate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humiliate/) [Immoral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immoral/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Physical force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical-force/) [Power of love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power-of-love/) [Retaliatory Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retaliatory-hate-659989/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Soul force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul-force/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Toughness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toughness/) [Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understanding/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Use Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use-violence-659991/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) [Violence Begets Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence-begets-violence/) [Violence Toughness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence-toughness-659992/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) [White man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-man/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness. We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/hate-begets-hate-violence-begets-violence-toughness-begets-a-greater/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/hate-multiplies-hate-violence-multiplies-violence-and-toughness/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [“No thanky-you; you can't overcome hatred with more hatred. Force can kill the liar but not the lie, the hater but not the hate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-sheldon/no-thanky-you-you-can-t-overcome-hatred-with-more-hatred-force-can/) [Joss Sheldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-sheldon/) > [Violence begets violence, and hate begets hate. Both hate and violence beget a society that harms, and makes impossible the healing necessary for us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaal-bowman/violence-begets-violence-and-hate-begets-hate-both-hate-and-violence/) [Jamaal Bowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaal-bowman/) > [There is nothing to be gained by being unnecessarily nasty. Violence begets violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aung-san-suu-kyi/there-is-nothing-to-be-gained-by-being-unnecessarily-nasty-violence/) [Aung San Suu Kyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aung-san-suu-kyi/) > [At this crucial crossroads of history, we join to call on the world to recognize that violence begets violence; that nuclear proliferation benefits no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-saperstein/at-this-crucial-crossroads-of-history-we-join-to-call-on-the-world-to/) [David Saperstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-saperstein/) > [Violence begets violence, and then you get leaders who are violent men. And you don't want that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/violence-begets-violence-and-then-you-get-leaders-who-are-violent-men/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [Violence begets violence by whomever used. War is a dirty business and entails the use of degrading means, whoever wages it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-j-muste/violence-begets-violence-by-whomever-used-war-is-a-dirty-business-and/) [A. J. Muste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-muste/) > [“I happened to see Larry King interview Billy Graham shortly after the shootings at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. I had read an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/i-happened-to-see-larry-king-interview-billy-graham-shortly-after-the/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [I think violence begets violence. I don't think a way to solve any sort of conflict is with violence because nothing ever ends up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-gordon-levitt/i-think-violence-begets-violence-i-don-t-think-a-way-to-solve-any/) [Joseph Gordon-Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-gordon-levitt/) > [“The thing is, you cannot ask people to coexist by having one side bow their heads and rely on a solution that is only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izzeldin-abuelaish/the-thing-is-you-cannot-ask-people-to-coexist-by-having-one-side-bow/) [Izzeldin Abuelaish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izzeldin-abuelaish/) > [My resonance to Magneto and Xavier was borne more out of the Holocaust. It was coming face to face with evil, and how do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-claremont/my-resonance-to-magneto-and-xavier-was-borne-more-out-of-the/) [Chris Claremont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-claremont/) > [One bleeding-heart type asked me in a recent interview if I did not agree that 'violence begets violence.' I told him that it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/one-bleeding-heart-type-asked-me-in-a-recent-interview-if-i-did-not/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [Behind every person who’s committed an unimaginable crime is an adult who committed unimaginable violence against them as a child. All of them, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gong-ji-young/behind-every-person-who-s-committed-an-unimaginable-crime-is-an-adult/) [Gong Ji-young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gong-ji-young/) > [Unfortunately, violence begets violence. And this is how the war on terrorism seems to be going at this juncture. A lot of people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-ebadi/unfortunately-violence-begets-violence-and-this-is-how-the-war-on/) [Shirin Ebadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-ebadi/) ## More by Martin Luther King, Jr > [The strong man holds in a living blend strongly marked opposites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-strong-man-holds-in-a-living-blend-strongly-marked-opposites/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Our nation was born in genocide when it embraced the doctrine that the original American, the Indian, was an inferior race. ... We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/our-nation-was-born-in-genocide-when-it-embraced-the-doctrine-that/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [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/) > [Every genuine expression of love grows out of a consistent and total surrender to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/every-genuine-expression-of-love-grows-out-of-a-consistent-and-total/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-remember-that-intelligence-is-not-enough-intelligence-plus/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I’ve been to the Mountaintop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-ve-been-to-the-mountaintop/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The supreme task is to organize and unite people so that their anger becomes a transforming force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-supreme-task-is-to-organize-and-unite-people-so-that-their-anger/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The great issue of life is to harness the drum major instinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-great-issue-of-life-is-to-harness-the-drum-major-instinct/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somebody must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate and the chain of evil in the universe. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somebody-must-have-sense-enough-and-morality-enough-to-cut-off-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Darkness is only driven out with light, not more darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/darkness-is-only-driven-out-with-light-not-more-darkness/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [What seems so necessary today may not even be desirable tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/what-seems-so-necessary-today-may-not-even-be-desirable-tomorrow/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The Negro cannot win the respect of his oppressor by acquiescing; he merely increases the oppressor's arrogance and contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-negro-cannot-win-the-respect-of-his-oppressor-by-acquiescing-he/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The majority of the Negroes who took part in the year-long boycott of Montgomery's buses were poor and untutored; but they understood the essence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-majority-of-the-negroes-who-took-part-in-the-year-long-boycott-of/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Whenever you are engaged in work that serves humanity and is for the building of humanity, it has dignity and it has worth,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/whenever-you-are-engaged-in-work-that-serves-humanity-and-is-for-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-have-a-dream-that-one-day-even-the-state-of-mississippi-a-desert/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) [Explore all 1,210 Martin Luther King, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## More Aim quotes > [If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-aim-at-nothing-you-will-hit-it-every-time/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [A good aim surveys the present state of experience of pupils, and forming a tentative plan of treatment, keeps the plan constantly in view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-good-aim-surveys-the-present-state-of-experience-of-pupils-and/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [The Christian man must aim at that complete obedience to God in which life finds its highest happiness, its greatest good, its perfect consummation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/the-christian-man-must-aim-at-that-complete-obedience-to-god-in-which/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [In Bosnia, little children shot in the head by a guy who thinks it's okay to aim his gun at a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/in-bosnia-little-children-shot-in-the-head-by-a-guy-who-thinks-it-s/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [My main aim has always been to do good quality films with roles that have some substance. With Power and Beauty there were loads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-henstridge/my-main-aim-has-always-been-to-do-good-quality-films-with-roles-that/) [Natasha Henstridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-henstridge/) > [ I really enjoyed it - being involved in watching rushes and playback \[in "The Invisible Woman"\]. Ralph \[Fiennes\] was very open to my input,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-really-enjoyed-it-being-involved-in-watching-rushes-and-playback-in/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [My aim is to be counted among the top players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babar-azam/my-aim-is-to-be-counted-among-the-top-players/) [Babar Azam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babar-azam/) > [The single aim of my life is that every child is: free to be a child, free to grow and develop, free to eat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-satyarthi/the-single-aim-of-my-life-is-that-every-child-is-free-to-be-a-child/) [Kailash Satyarthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-satyarthi/) > [The aim of good prose words is to mean what they say. The aim of good poetical words is to mean what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-aim-of-good-prose-words-is-to-mean-what-they-say-the-aim-of-good/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [To be normal is the ultimate aim of the unsuccessful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/to-be-normal-is-the-ultimate-aim-of-the-unsuccessful/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 3,047 Aim quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The use of violence in our struggle would be both impractical and immoral. To meet hate with retaliatory hate would do nothing but intensify the existence of evil in the universe. 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