--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That fact is that we live in an extremely…" description: "\"That fact is that we live in an extremely violent culture, and we all justify violence if it's for what we believe in .\" — Paul Watson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ee/paul-watson-1855_believe_that-fact-is-that-we-live-in-an-extremel_1062807.jpg" --- # That fact is that we live in an extremely violent culture… ![“That fact is that we live in an extremely violent culture, and we all justify violence if it's for what we believe in .” quote by Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ee/paul-watson-1855_believe_that-fact-is-that-we-live-in-an-extremel_1062807.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ee/paul-watson-1855_believe_that-fact-is-that-we-live-in-an-extremel_1062807.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ee/paul-watson-1855_believe_that-fact-is-that-we-live-in-an-extremel_1062807.jpg) > “That fact is that we live in an extremely violent culture, and we all justify violence if it's for what we believe in .” [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) ## 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 asserts that society normalizes violence when it aligns with personal beliefs, revealing a cultural paradox. **In simple terms:** Violence is justified if it matches beliefs. Key Takeaway Question the justification of violence in belief systems. Themes violence culture belief justification paradox Mood concerned critical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - Political activism - media analysis - education reform Key Concepts Sociology psychology moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - Why do we rationalize violence for our causes? - What alternatives exist to violent expression? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) [Violent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violent/) ## Related quotes > [I could justify violence only in this extreme case, to save the last living knowledge of Buddhism itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/i-could-justify-violence-only-in-this-extreme-case-to-save-the-last/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [I'm not trying to say I'm a big tough guy... I'm a typical American-waist deep in this violent culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-m-not-trying-to-say-i-m-a-big-tough-guy-i-m-a-typical-american/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [When we dehumanise and demonise our opponents, we abandon the possibility of peacefully resolving our differences, and seek to justify violence against them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/when-we-dehumanise-and-demonise-our-opponents-we-abandon-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [In a world wounded by conflicts, where violence is justified in God's name, it's important to repeat that religion can never become a vehicle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/in-a-world-wounded-by-conflicts-where-violence-is-justified-in-god-s/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [When activists need a pretext to justify their violence, they always find it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charb/when-activists-need-a-pretext-to-justify-their-violence-they-always/) [Charb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charb/) > [“In a fascinating op-ed piece last year, T. M. Luhrmann noted that when schizophrenics hear voices in India, they’re more likely to be told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/in-a-fascinating-op-ed-piece-last-year-t-m-luhrmann-noted-that-when/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) > [There's no way to escape the fact that we've grown up in a violent culture, we just can't get away from it, it's part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-shepard/there-s-no-way-to-escape-the-fact-that-we-ve-grown-up-in-a-violent/) [Sam Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-shepard/) > [It's hard to see blessings in a violent culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/it-s-hard-to-see-blessings-in-a-violent-culture/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) > [In any case he can not justify violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/in-any-case-he-can-not-justify-violence/) Mak\_786 > [The abnormal, the sick, the vicious have become more and more interwoven into the violent culture of the United States. Into the way news…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/the-abnormal-the-sick-the-vicious-have-become-more-and-more/) [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) > [I truly believe that music or art, in general, is the only thing that can unify a world that is plagued by war and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilaiyaraaja/i-truly-believe-that-music-or-art-in-general-is-the-only-thing-that/) [Ilaiyaraaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilaiyaraaja/) > [I was motivated to write about violence because I believe it's not unusual. I see it as just a part of life, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-sebold/i-was-motivated-to-write-about-violence-because-i-believe-it-s-not/) [Alice Sebold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-sebold/) > [I cannot teach you violence,as I do not myself believe in it. I can only teach you not to bow your heads before anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-cannot-teach-you-violence-as-i-do-not-myself-believe-in-it-i-can/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I know, it's disturbing that gentle looking people have such violence, but I believe we all have a penchant for violence in us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-isaac-chung/i-know-it-s-disturbing-that-gentle-looking-people-have-such-violence/) [Lee Isaac Chung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-isaac-chung/) > [I really believe in non-violence, but I also believe in a short of resistance that has to be respectful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-paul/i-really-believe-in-non-violence-but-i-also-believe-in-a-short-of/) [Alexandra Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-paul/) ## More by Paul Watson > [Social change comes through people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/social-change-comes-through-people/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [Sea Shepherd is to terrorism what Groucho was to Marxism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/sea-shepherd-is-to-terrorism-what-groucho-was-to-marxism/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [You don't get anywhere unless you've had a little bit of a complicated life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/you-don-t-get-anywhere-unless-you-ve-had-a-little-bit-of-a/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [Here's the thing: Nobody gets extradited for a crime where nobody's been hurt, where no property's been damaged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/here-s-the-thing-nobody-gets-extradited-for-a-crime-where-nobody-s/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [The shark is the apex predator in the sea. 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And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. 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