--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There can be no doubt about this. It even…" description: "\"There can be no doubt about this. It even held true for the soldiers involved in the Kosovo War. For the soldiers stayed mostly in their barracks! In t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a14/paul-virilio-2130_army_there-can-be-no-doubt-about-this-it-even_2178059.jpg" --- # There can be no doubt about this. It even held true for… ![“There can be no doubt about this. It even held true for the soldiers involved in the Kosovo War. For the soldiers stayed mostly in their barracks! In this way, polar inertia has truly become a mass phenomenon. And not only for the TV audiences watching the war at home but also for the army that…” quote by Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a14/paul-virilio-2130_army_there-can-be-no-doubt-about-this-it-even_2178059.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a14/paul-virilio-2130_army_there-can-be-no-doubt-about-this-it-even_2178059.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a14/paul-virilio-2130_army_there-can-be-no-doubt-about-this-it-even_2178059.jpg) > “There can be no doubt about this. It even held true for the soldiers involved in the Kosovo War. For the soldiers stayed mostly in their barracks! In this way, polar inertia has truly become a mass phenomenon. And not only for the TV audiences watching the war at home but also for the army that watches the battle from the barracks.” [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) ## 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 argues that modern warfare is experienced remotely, turning soldiers into passive observers, creating a collective inertia that extends to viewers at home. **In simple terms:** War becomes a distant spectacle, causing collective passivity. Key Takeaway Recognize and counteract passive consumption of conflict. Themes media war inertia passivity society Mood critical reflective Type analytical commentary When to use this quote - news consumption - military training - public discourse - policy making Key Concepts political theory media studies military sociology Questions to Reflect On - How does remote viewing of war affect public empathy? - What responsibilities do media have in portraying conflict? A Different Perspective It may overlook the agency of soldiers who do engage directly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Inertia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inertia/) [Inertia Truly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inertia-truly-4691876/) [Involved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/involved/) [Kosovo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kosovo/) [Mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mass/) [No doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/no-doubt/) [Phenomenon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phenomenon/) [Polar Inertia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polar-inertia-1890061/) [Soldier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldier/) [Soldiers Stayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldiers-stayed-4691877/) [Stayed Barracks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stayed-barracks-4691878/) [Tvs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tvs/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Watches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watches/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [Moreover, I would like to say that the sort of polar inertia we witnessed in the Kosovo War, the polar inertia involving 'automated war'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/moreover-i-would-like-to-say-that-the-sort-of-polar-inertia-we/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [GPS not only played a large and delocalizing role in the war in Kosovo but is increasingly playing a role in social life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/gps-not-only-played-a-large-and-delocalizing-role-in-the-war-in/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [For all the sophistication of GPS, there still remain numerous problems with their use. The most obvious problem in this context is the problem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/for-all-the-sophistication-of-gps-there-still-remain-numerous/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [For instance, in 1999, Bill Gates not only published a new book on work at the speed of thought but also detailed how Microsoft's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/for-instance-in-1999-bill-gates-not-only-published-a-new-book-on-work/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [I believe that the politics of intervention and the Kosovo war prompted a fresh resumption of the arms race worldwide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/i-believe-that-the-politics-of-intervention-and-the-kosovo-war/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [GPS are everywhere. They are in cars. They were even in the half-tracks that, initially at least, were going to make the ground invasion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/gps-are-everywhere-they-are-in-cars-they-were-even-in-the-half-tracks/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [Jean Baudrillard is a friend of mine, I do not agree with him on that one! For me, the significance of the war in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/jean-baudrillard-is-a-friend-of-mine-i-do-not-agree-with-him-on-that/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [For me, the Asian financial crisis of 1998 and the war in Kosovo in 1999 are the prelude to the integral accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/for-me-the-asian-financial-crisis-of-1998-and-the-war-in-kosovo-in/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [The research on vision machines was mainly conducted at the Stanford Research Institute in the US. So, we can say that the events that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/the-research-on-vision-machines-was-mainly-conducted-at-the-stanford/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [For the US, the Kosovo War was a success because it encouraged the development of the Pentagon's 'Revolution in Military Affairs' (RMA). The war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/for-the-us-the-kosovo-war-was-a-success-because-it-encouraged-the/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [Indeed, the truth, the reality of the Kosovo War, was actually hidden behind all the 'humanitarian' faces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/indeed-the-truth-the-reality-of-the-kosovo-war-was-actually-hidden/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [However, the Kosovo War took place in orbital space. In other words, war now takes place in 'aero-electro-magnetic space'. It is equivalent to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/however-the-kosovo-war-took-place-in-orbital-space-in-other-words-war/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [I believe that the military-industrial complex is more important than ever. This is because the war in Kosovo gave fresh impetus not to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/i-believe-that-the-military-industrial-complex-is-more-important-than/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [What happened in Kosovo was the exact reversal of what happened in 'Fortress Europe' in 1943-45. Let me explain. Air Marshall 'Bomber' Harris used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/what-happened-in-kosovo-was-the-exact-reversal-of-what-happened-in/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [France and Germany were opposed to a maritime blockade of the Adriatic Sea without a mandate from the United Nations (UN). So, what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/france-and-germany-were-opposed-to-a-maritime-blockade-of-the/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) ## More by Paul Virilio > [“It is, in fact, impossible clearly to distinguish economic war from information war, since each involves the same hegemonic ambition of making commercial and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/it-is-in-fact-impossible-clearly-to-distinguish-economic-war-from/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [There is a French expression that says: to be exposed to an accident, to cross a street without looking at the cars means exposing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/there-is-a-french-expression-that-says-to-be-exposed-to-an-accident/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [There cannot be an animal body without a territorial body: three bodies are grafted over each other: the territorial body - the planet, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/there-cannot-be-an-animal-body-without-a-territorial-body-three/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [... the blinding Hiroshima flash... literally photographed the shadow cast by beings and things, so that every surface immediately became war's recording surface, its film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/the-blinding-hiroshima-flash-literally-photographed-the-shadow-cast/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [GPS not only played a large and delocalizing role in the war in Kosovo but is increasingly playing a role in social life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/gps-not-only-played-a-large-and-delocalizing-role-in-the-war-in/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [The Gulf War may not have occurred in the actual global space, but it did occur in global time. And this thanks to CNN…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/the-gulf-war-may-not-have-occurred-in-the-actual-global-space-but-it/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [The cinema was certainly an art, but television can't be, because it is the museum of accidents. In other words, its art is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/the-cinema-was-certainly-an-art-but-television-can-t-be-because-it-is/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [What happened in Kosovo was the exact reversal of what happened in 'Fortress Europe' in 1943-45. Let me explain. Air Marshall 'Bomber' Harris used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/what-happened-in-kosovo-was-the-exact-reversal-of-what-happened-in/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [The technologies of virtual reality are attempting to make us see from beneath, from inside, from behind... as if we were God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/the-technologies-of-virtual-reality-are-attempting-to-make-us-see/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [There are eyes everywhere. No blind spot left. What shall we dream of when everything becomes visible? We'll dream of being blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/there-are-eyes-everywhere-no-blind-spot-left-what-shall-we-dream-of/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [I am of course thinking here about new planes such as the Sukhois. There is very little discussion about such developments but, for me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/i-am-of-course-thinking-here-about-new-planes-such-as-the-sukhois/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [Moreover, I would like to say that the sort of polar inertia we witnessed in the Kosovo War, the polar inertia involving 'automated war'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/moreover-i-would-like-to-say-that-the-sort-of-polar-inertia-we/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [How can we live if there is no more here and everything is now?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/how-can-we-live-if-there-is-no-more-here-and-everything-is-now/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [The simulator is the stage in-between television and virtual reality, a moment, a phase. The simulator is a moment that leads to cyberspace, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/the-simulator-is-the-stage-in-between-television-and-virtual-reality/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [These new technologies try to make virtual reality more powerful than actual reality, which is the true accident. The day when virtual reality becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/these-new-technologies-try-to-make-virtual-reality-more-powerful-than/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) [Explore all 181 Paul Virilio quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) ## More Army quotes > [There are no more worlds to conquer!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/there-are-no-more-worlds-to-conquer/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) > [Every army in the history of the world has always had some deserters, usually much greater than we have today, because once again every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-hilferty/every-army-in-the-history-of-the-world-has-always-had-some-deserters/) [Bryan Hilferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-hilferty/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... Prearranged surprises are rare and difficult because in order to plan one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-henri-jomini/the-surprise-of-an-army-is-now-next-to-an-impossibility-prearranged/) [Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/) > [I just read an article about how young American males feel uncomfortable appearing naked in front of each other in locker rooms. That was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ivory/i-just-read-an-article-about-how-young-american-males-feel/) [James Ivory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ivory/) > [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“The most important lesson that came out of Vietnam for me was that Marines take care of Marines.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-clancy/the-most-important-lesson-that-came-out-of-vietnam-for-me-was-that/) [Tom Clancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-clancy/) > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I have real strong feelings about our troops and support them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-fichtner/i-have-real-strong-feelings-about-our-troops-and-support-them/) [William Fichtner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-fichtner/) > [Personally, I don't really have a set style or look. It's pretty much what I feel like wearing that day, from a floral-print dress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shay-mitchell/personally-i-don-t-really-have-a-set-style-or-look-it-s-pretty-much/) [Shay Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shay-mitchell/) > [Growing up with a parent in the army, I saw firsthand the challenges our service members face when transitioning to new jobs after time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/growing-up-with-a-parent-in-the-army-i-saw-firsthand-the-challenges/) [Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/) > [Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-prescott/don-t-fire-until-you-see-the-whites-of-their-eyes/) [William H. Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) > [Thanks to all members of the military around the world for giving me the ultimate motivation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-neidhart/thanks-to-all-members-of-the-military-around-the-world-for-giving-me/) [Natalya Neidhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-neidhart/) [Browse all 3,919 Army quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There can be no doubt about this. It even held true for the soldiers involved in the Kosovo War. For the soldiers stayed mostly in their barracks! In this way, polar inertia has truly become a mass phenomenon. And not only for the TV audiences watching the war at home but also for the army that watches the battle from the barracks.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Virilio" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/there-can-be-no-doubt-about-this-it-even-held-true-for-the-soldiers/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Army" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/there-can-be-no-doubt-about-this-it-even-held-true-for-the-soldiers/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a14/paul-virilio-2130_army_there-can-be-no-doubt-about-this-it-even_2178059.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a14/paul-virilio-2130_army_there-can-be-no-doubt-about-this-it-even_2178059.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a14/paul-virilio-2130_army_there-can-be-no-doubt-about-this-it-even_2178059.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There can be no doubt about this. It even held true for the soldiers involved in the Kosovo War. For the…” — Paul Virilio", "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": "Paul Virilio", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There can be no doubt about...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/there-can-be-no-doubt-about-this-it-even-held-true-for-the-soldiers/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/there-can-be-no-doubt-about-this-it-even-held-true-for-the-soldiers/#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 } } ] } ```