--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: […] mines don’t work that way. They don’t…" description: "\"“[…] mines don’t work that way. They don’t blow up a human body, they take off a leg or ankle or the family jewels. That’s what they’re designed for, n..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/max-brooks-2735_family_mines-don-t-work-that-way-they-don-t-blo_978516.png" --- # \[…\] mines don’t work that way. They don’t blow up a human… ![“[…] mines don’t work that way. They don’t blow up a human body, they take off a leg or ankle or the family jewels. That’s what they’re designed for, not to kill people, but to wound ‘em so the army will spend valuable resources keeping them alive, and then send ‘em home in a wheelchair so Ma and…” quote by Max Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/max-brooks-2735_family_mines-don-t-work-that-way-they-don-t-blo_978516.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/max-brooks-2735_family_mines-don-t-work-that-way-they-don-t-blo_978516.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/26d/max-brooks-2735_family_mines-don-t-work-that-way-they-don-t-blo_978516.png) > ““\[…\] mines don’t work that way. They don’t blow up a human body, they take off a leg or ankle or the family jewels. That’s what they’re designed for, not to kill people, but to wound ‘em so the army will spend valuable resources keeping them alive, and then send ‘em home in a wheelchair so Ma and Pa Civilian can be reminded every time they see ‘em that maybe supporting this war isn’t such a good idea.”” [Max Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-brooks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights how certain weapons are designed to maim rather than kill, forcing societies to bear the cost of caring for wounded soldiers and questioning the morality of war. **In simple terms:** Weapons can be built to wound, not kill, making war costly and morally troubling. Key Takeaway Consider the hidden costs of conflict. Themes war ethics human cost military technology Mood somber critical Type political ethical When to use this quote - military policy debates - humanitarian aid - media analysis Key Concepts Maiming weapons resource burden public perception Questions to Reflect On - Do you think maim‑focused weapons reduce or increase overall suffering? - How does public awareness of wounded veterans affect war support? A Different Perspective It ignores the strategic value of deterrence that lethal weapons can provide. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civilian Reminded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilian-reminded-1925932/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Human body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-body/) [Kill People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kill-people/) [Pa Civilian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pa-civilian-1925933/) [People Wound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-wound-1925930/) [Supporting War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supporting-war-1925931/) ## Related quotes > [Supporting the war on terror is not an anti-Palestinian act. It is anti-terror.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tzipi-livni/supporting-the-war-on-terror-is-not-an-anti-palestinian-act-it-is/) [Tzipi Livni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tzipi-livni/) > [Most American fascists are enthusiastically supporting the war effort. They are doing this even in those cases where they hope to have profitable connections…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-wallace/most-american-fascists-are-enthusiastically-supporting-the-war-effort/) [Henry A. 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THEY DON'T…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-holzer/it-s-no-fun-watching-people-wound-themselves-so-that-they-can-hole-up/) [Jenny Holzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-holzer/) > [PEOPLE KILL PEOPLE NOT GUNS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-kill-people-not-guns/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It is a maxim among carnivore biologists that the main reason big predators now die is because people kill them. 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"I want to kill most people. But then where would I be? In a field…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-landy/of-course-i-want-to-kill-you-said-skulduggery-i-want-to-kill-most/) [Derek Landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-landy/) > [My name is Gin, and I kill people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-estep/my-name-is-gin-and-i-kill-people/) [Jennifer Estep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-estep/) > [Tiger would kill many people, yet they are launched to protect, the poor ass, do nothing. They serve the people. Big is sad that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/tiger-would-kill-many-people-yet-they-are-launched-to-protect-the/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [I imagine that in a closed, hermetic society like the mob, where everybody knows each other, it must be really, really unpleasant to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-dominik/i-imagine-that-in-a-closed-hermetic-society-like-the-mob-where/) [Andrew Dominik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-dominik/) ## More by Max Brooks > [When I believe in my ability to do something, there is no such word as no.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-brooks/when-i-believe-in-my-ability-to-do-something-there-is-no-such-word-as/) [Max Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-brooks/) > [Fear is the most valuable commodity in the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-brooks/fear-is-the-most-valuable-commodity-in-the-universe/) [Max Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-brooks/) > [I think the general anxiety of the 1960s - '70s spawned our interest in the living dead. 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Or water -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-brooks/any-survival-guide-will-tell-you-don-t-buy-a-pair-of-combat-boots/) [Max Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-brooks/) > [When I read Frank Miller's 'The Dark Knight Returns', I think it's a wonderful record of the Reagan era. I think it's amazing. 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He slipped his hand around hers. "Friends," he repeated roughly. Her smile was bright enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/she-knew-how-to-play-him-so-very-well-he-slipped-his-hand-around-hers/) [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) > [As a family, we all loved the Flyers. To me, rooting for the Flyers were how I bonded with my dad especially.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-f-goldberg/as-a-family-we-all-loved-the-flyers-to-me-rooting-for-the-flyers-were/) [Adam F. Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-f-goldberg/) > [The people have always been family to me here in Las Vegas. 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