--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Projects for the abolition of the prison…" description: "\"“Projects for the abolition of the prison and the military are just and have important positive effects, but one should recognize that these struggles ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/michael-hardt-33794_cold-turkey_projects-for-the-abolition-of-the-prison_2751008.jpg" --- # Projects for the abolition of the prison and the military… ![“Projects for the abolition of the prison and the military are just and have important positive effects, but one should recognize that these struggles are impossible to realize fully in our societies as they are currently structured. The prison and the military are poisons, but perversely, the sick…” quote by Michael Hardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/michael-hardt-33794_cold-turkey_projects-for-the-abolition-of-the-prison_2751008.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/michael-hardt-33794_cold-turkey_projects-for-the-abolition-of-the-prison_2751008.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/michael-hardt-33794_cold-turkey_projects-for-the-abolition-of-the-prison_2751008.jpg) > ““Projects for the abolition of the prison and the military are just and have important positive effects, but one should recognize that these struggles are impossible to realize fully in our societies as they are currently structured. The prison and the military are poisons, but perversely, the sick body must keep ingesting them to survive, making itself constantly worse. Prison creates a society that needs prisons, and the military creates a society that needs militarism. Going cold turkey would be suicide. The body must be cured instead over an extended period to purge itself of the poison.”” [Michael Hardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hardt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Societal structures like prisons and militaries persist because they are embedded in the social body, making abrupt abolition harmful; gradual transformation is needed. **In simple terms:** Prisons and militaries are entrenched, so change must be gradual. Key Takeaway Pursue systemic reform over sudden removal. Themes justice militarism systemic change health societal structures Mood critical reflective Type theoretical activist When to use this quote - policy reform - activist strategy - public health - community education Key Concepts structural violence institutional inertia social cure gradualism Questions to Reflect On - How can we design phased reforms? - What alternatives sustain society during transition? A Different Perspective Abolition without transition can cause chaos. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cold turkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold-turkey/) ## Related quotes > [“Can I tell you the truth? I mean this isn’t the TV news is it? Here's what I think the truth is: We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/can-i-tell-you-the-truth-i-mean-this-isn-t-the-tv-news-is-it-here-s/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Here's what I think the truth is: We are all addicts of fossil fuels in a state of denial. And like so many addicts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/here-s-what-i-think-the-truth-is-we-are-all-addicts-of-fossil-fuels-2/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I quit cold turkey. Never touched it again. Im very proud of myself. No rehab, no detox. Just bam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-quit-cold-turkey-never-touched-it-again-im-very-proud-of-myself-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Under a cold turkey strategy, at each policy meeting the Federal Open Market Committee would make its best guess about where it ultimately wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bernanke/under-a-cold-turkey-strategy-at-each-policy-meeting-the-federal-open/) [Ben Bernanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bernanke/) > [But there is no withdrawal, but with tobacco there is terrible withdrawal, it is almost impossible for a lot of people. I did ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-hagman/but-there-is-no-withdrawal-but-with-tobacco-there-is-terrible/) [Larry Hagman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-hagman/) > [He was addicted to me and now he has gone cold turkey. He used to send me fifty texts a day. And now he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-forrest/he-was-addicted-to-me-and-now-he-has-gone-cold-turkey-he-used-to-send/) [Emma Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-forrest/) > [“He either had to stop making me flustered as hell, or I had to quit the Cap’n Crunch. Could a grown man go cold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloan-parker/he-either-had-to-stop-making-me-flustered-as-hell-or-i-had-to-quit/) [Sloan Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloan-parker/) > [The smartest thing I did was to stop going online. I'm the sort of person who will just look for the negative - Michael…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-zeta-jones/the-smartest-thing-i-did-was-to-stop-going-online-i-m-the-sort-of/) [Catherine Zeta-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-zeta-jones/) > [“Crashing from love is worse than crashing from pot, or LSD, or going cold turkey from heroin. Nobody should be allowed to do love.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-shear/crashing-from-love-is-worse-than-crashing-from-pot-or-lsd-or-going/) Doug Shear > [First, educate yourself about what a vegan diet entails and why it is beneficial to your health. You need to understand and embrace the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-player/first-educate-yourself-about-what-a-vegan-diet-entails-and-why-it-is/) [Gary Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-player/) > [Even if nonpolluting power were feasible and abundant, the use of energy on a massive scale acts on society like a drug that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-illich/even-if-nonpolluting-power-were-feasible-and-abundant-the-use-of/) [Ivan Illich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-illich/) > [Here's what I think the truth is: We are all addicts of fossil fuels in a state of denial, about to face cold turkey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/here-s-what-i-think-the-truth-is-we-are-all-addicts-of-fossil-fuels/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“I was coming down off the last painkiller left in my dresser drawer after Autumn tossed my stash. In that moment I was so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-cohn/i-was-coming-down-off-the-last-painkiller-left-in-my-dresser-drawer/) [Rachel Cohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-cohn/) > [“Give up smoking cold turkey. Start a diet in the next 5 min. Accept that job right away. Life can be beautiful without planning!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rossana-condoleo/give-up-smoking-cold-turkey-start-a-diet-in-the-next-5-min-accept/) [Rossana Condoleo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rossana-condoleo/) > [I find that I get nervous before I play. Even sound checks can give me anxiety and screw with my mind. But as long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vile/i-find-that-i-get-nervous-before-i-play-even-sound-checks-can-give-me/) [Kurt Vile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vile/) ## More by Michael Hardt > [Events of resistance have the power not only to escape control but also to create a new world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hardt/events-of-resistance-have-the-power-not-only-to-escape-control-but/) [Michael Hardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hardt/) > [“You are only able really to refuse and flee, though, when you recognize your power. Those living under the weight of a security regime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hardt/you-are-only-able-really-to-refuse-and-flee-though-when-you-recognize/) [Michael Hardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hardt/) > [In the United States, rising esteem for the military in uniform corresponds to the growing militarization of the society as a whole. All of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hardt/in-the-united-states-rising-esteem-for-the-military-in-uniform/) [Michael Hardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hardt/) > [“Physical proximity, of course, facilitates the common education of the affects, but also essential are the intense experiences of cooperation, the creation of mutual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hardt/physical-proximity-of-course-facilitates-the-common-education-of-the/) [Michael Hardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hardt/) > [Revolution does have to be violent precisely because the Pharaoh won't let you go. If the Pharaoh would let you go, the revolution won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hardt/revolution-does-have-to-be-violent-precisely-because-the-pharaoh-won/) [Michael Hardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hardt/) > [“Discussing, learning and teaching, studying and communicating, participating in actions—these are some of the forms of activism that constitute the central axis of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hardt/discussing-learning-and-teaching-studying-and-communicating/) [Michael Hardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hardt/) > [“The question of transforming the public into the common thus raises at least three issues initially. The first is an abstract but fundamental principle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hardt/the-question-of-transforming-the-public-into-the-common-thus-raises/) [Michael Hardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hardt/) > [“Real communication among singularities in networks thus requires an encampment. This is the kind of self-learning experience and knowledge production that takes place, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hardt/real-communication-among-singularities-in-networks-thus-requires-an/) [Michael Hardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hardt/) > [“We know that some are reluctant to group together the orderly occupiers of Zuccotti Park and even the carnivalesque alterglobalization protesters with the poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hardt/we-know-that-some-are-reluctant-to-group-together-the-orderly/) [Michael Hardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hardt/) > [“The intellectual is and only can be a militant, engaged as a singularity among others, embarked on the project of co-research aimed at making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hardt/the-intellectual-is-and-only-can-be-a-militant-engaged-as-a/) [Michael Hardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hardt/) > [Through luminous and erudite readings of the texts, Hasana Sharp shows us how profound and radical is Spinoza's conception of nature and his claim…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hardt/through-luminous-and-erudite-readings-of-the-texts-hasana-sharp-shows/) [Michael Hardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hardt/) > [The hegemony of finance and the banks has produced the indebted. Control over information and communication networks has created the mediatized. The security regime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hardt/the-hegemony-of-finance-and-the-banks-has-produced-the-indebted/) [Michael Hardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hardt/) > [“It is a scandal—or, rather, it should be a scandal and one wonders why it isn’t—that the US prison population, after reaching a postwar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hardt/it-is-a-scandal-or-rather-it-should-be-a-scandal-and-one-wonders-why/) [Michael Hardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hardt/) [Explore all 14 Michael Hardt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hardt/) ## More Cold turkey quotes > [“Can I tell you the truth? I mean this isn’t the TV news is it? Here's what I think the truth is: We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/can-i-tell-you-the-truth-i-mean-this-isn-t-the-tv-news-is-it-here-s/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [“Give up smoking cold turkey. Start a diet in the next 5 min. Accept that job right away. Life can be beautiful without planning!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rossana-condoleo/give-up-smoking-cold-turkey-start-a-diet-in-the-next-5-min-accept/) [Rossana Condoleo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rossana-condoleo/) > [“I was coming down off the last painkiller left in my dresser drawer after Autumn tossed my stash. In that moment I was so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-cohn/i-was-coming-down-off-the-last-painkiller-left-in-my-dresser-drawer/) [Rachel Cohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-cohn/) > [Here's what I think the truth is: We are all addicts of fossil fuels in a state of denial, about to face cold turkey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/here-s-what-i-think-the-truth-is-we-are-all-addicts-of-fossil-fuels/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [Even if nonpolluting power were feasible and abundant, the use of energy on a massive scale acts on society like a drug that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-illich/even-if-nonpolluting-power-were-feasible-and-abundant-the-use-of/) [Ivan Illich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-illich/) > [First, educate yourself about what a vegan diet entails and why it is beneficial to your health. You need to understand and embrace the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-player/first-educate-yourself-about-what-a-vegan-diet-entails-and-why-it-is/) [Gary Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-player/) > [“Crashing from love is worse than crashing from pot, or LSD, or going cold turkey from heroin. Nobody should be allowed to do love.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-shear/crashing-from-love-is-worse-than-crashing-from-pot-or-lsd-or-going/) Doug Shear > [The smartest thing I did was to stop going online. I'm the sort of person who will just look for the negative - Michael…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-zeta-jones/the-smartest-thing-i-did-was-to-stop-going-online-i-m-the-sort-of/) [Catherine Zeta-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-zeta-jones/) > [“He either had to stop making me flustered as hell, or I had to quit the Cap’n Crunch. Could a grown man go cold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloan-parker/he-either-had-to-stop-making-me-flustered-as-hell-or-i-had-to-quit/) [Sloan Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloan-parker/) > [He was addicted to me and now he has gone cold turkey. He used to send me fifty texts a day. And now he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-forrest/he-was-addicted-to-me-and-now-he-has-gone-cold-turkey-he-used-to-send/) [Emma Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-forrest/) > [But there is no withdrawal, but with tobacco there is terrible withdrawal, it is almost impossible for a lot of people. I did ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-hagman/but-there-is-no-withdrawal-but-with-tobacco-there-is-terrible/) [Larry Hagman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-hagman/) > [Under a cold turkey strategy, at each policy meeting the Federal Open Market Committee would make its best guess about where it ultimately wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bernanke/under-a-cold-turkey-strategy-at-each-policy-meeting-the-federal-open/) [Ben Bernanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bernanke/) > [I quit cold turkey. Never touched it again. Im very proud of myself. No rehab, no detox. Just bam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-quit-cold-turkey-never-touched-it-again-im-very-proud-of-myself-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Here's what I think the truth is: We are all addicts of fossil fuels in a state of denial. And like so many addicts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/here-s-what-i-think-the-truth-is-we-are-all-addicts-of-fossil-fuels-2/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [I find that I get nervous before I play. Even sound checks can give me anxiety and screw with my mind. But as long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vile/i-find-that-i-get-nervous-before-i-play-even-sound-checks-can-give-me/) [Kurt Vile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vile/) [Browse all 27 Cold turkey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold-turkey/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Projects for the abolition of the prison and the military are just and have important positive effects, but one should recognize that these struggles are impossible to realize fully in our societies as they are currently structured. The prison and the military are poisons, but perversely, the sick body must keep ingesting them to survive, making itself constantly worse. Prison creates a society that needs prisons, and the military creates a society that needs militarism. Going cold turkey would be suicide. The body must be cured instead over an extended period to purge itself of the poison.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Hardt" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hardt/projects-for-the-abolition-of-the-prison-and-the-military-are-just/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cold turkey" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hardt/projects-for-the-abolition-of-the-prison-and-the-military-are-just/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/michael-hardt-33794_cold-turkey_projects-for-the-abolition-of-the-prison_2751008.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/michael-hardt-33794_cold-turkey_projects-for-the-abolition-of-the-prison_2751008.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f6/michael-hardt-33794_cold-turkey_projects-for-the-abolition-of-the-prison_2751008.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Projects for the abolition of the prison and the military are just and have important positive effects, but…” — Michael Hardt", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Michael Hardt", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hardt/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Projects for the abolition of the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hardt/projects-for-the-abolition-of-the-prison-and-the-military-are-just/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hardt/projects-for-the-abolition-of-the-prison-and-the-military-are-just/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```