--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If all the thought which had been…" description: "\"If all the thought which had been expended on the construction of engines of agony and death - the modes of aggression and defence, the raising of armi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/995/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_aggression_if-all-the-thought-which-had-been-expend_2646933.jpg" --- # If all the thought which had been expended on the… ![“If all the thought which had been expended on the construction of engines of agony and death - the modes of aggression and defence, the raising of armies, and the acquirement of those arts of tyranny and falsehood without which mixed multitudes could neither be led nor governed - had been employed…” quote by Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/995/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_aggression_if-all-the-thought-which-had-been-expend_2646933.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/995/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_aggression_if-all-the-thought-which-had-been-expend_2646933.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/995/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_aggression_if-all-the-thought-which-had-been-expend_2646933.jpg) > “If all the thought which had been expended on the construction of engines of agony and death - the modes of aggression and defence, the raising of armies, and the acquirement of those arts of tyranny and falsehood without which mixed multitudes could neither be led nor governed - had been employed to promote the true welfare and extend the real empire of man, how different would have been the present situation of human society!” [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If humanity redirected resources from war to welfare, society would be vastly different. **In simple terms:** Redirect war effort to welfare. Key Takeaway Prioritize human welfare over conflict. Themes peace humanitarianism resource allocation Mood idealistic reflective Type philosophical political When to use this quote - policy reform - education funding - public health Key Concepts war economy ethical priorities Questions to Reflect On - What would you sacrifice for peace? - How can individuals influence large systems? A Different Perspective Political inertia resists change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aggression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aggression/) [Agony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agony/) [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Construction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/construction/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Defence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defence/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Empires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empires/) [Employed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/employed/) [Engines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engines/) [Falsehood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falsehood/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Human society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-society/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Multitudes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/multitudes/) [Present situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/present-situation/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Situation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/situation/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Thought Expended](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-expended-2317323/) [Tyranny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tyranny/) [Tyranny Falsehood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tyranny-falsehood-2317322/) [Welfare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/welfare/) ## Related quotes > [Sow seed--but let no tyrant reap; Find wealth--let no imposter heap; Weave robes--let not the idle wear; Forge arms--in your defence to bear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/sow-seed-but-let-no-tyrant-reap-find-wealth-let-no-imposter-heap/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Dar'st thou amid the varied multitude To live alone, an isolated thing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/dar-st-thou-amid-the-varied-multitude-to-live-alone-an-isolated-thing/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Your present situation is not your final destination...THE BEST IS YET TO COME!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/your-present-situation-is-not-your-final-destination-the-best-is-yet/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [It is not therefore the business of philosophy, in our present situation in the universe, to attempt to take in at once, in one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-maclaurin/it-is-not-therefore-the-business-of-philosophy-in-our-present/) [Colin Maclaurin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-maclaurin/) > [Are we not witnessing a situation where children are conciously rejecting their parents' value despite love and devotion given to them? The present situation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-lowen/are-we-not-witnessing-a-situation-where-children-are-conciously/) [Alexander Lowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-lowen/) > [What lies in future is always mystery. Don't be afraid to explore what is in present. Take the situation in stride and move forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anil-sinha/what-lies-in-future-is-always-mystery-don-t-be-afraid-to-explore-what/) [Anil Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anil-sinha/) > [No people can more exactly interpret the inmost meaning of the present situation in Ireland than the American Negro. The scheme is simple. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/no-people-can-more-exactly-interpret-the-inmost-meaning-of-the/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [We can choose to gather to our hearts the thorns of disappointment, failure, loneliness, and dismay in our present situation. Or we can gather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-johnson/we-can-choose-to-gather-to-our-hearts-the-thorns-of-disappointment/) [Barbara Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-johnson/) > [You need only examine your present situation to discover unlimited resources and opportunities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-kiev/you-need-only-examine-your-present-situation-to-discover-unlimited/) [Ari Kiev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-kiev/) > [It is always the sign of the second-rate man when the decision merely meets the present situation. It is the left-over in a decision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-parker-follett/it-is-always-the-sign-of-the-second-rate-man-when-the-decision-merely/) [Mary Parker Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-parker-follett/) > [I think the thing that made this stand out the most was just the fact that there's a lot more character to these characters.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-harmon/i-think-the-thing-that-made-this-stand-out-the-most-was-just-the-fact/) [Angie Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-harmon/) > [On the contrary, the characteristic element of the present situation is that economic questions have finally and irrevocably invaded the domain of public life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-henderson/on-the-contrary-the-characteristic-element-of-the-present-situation/) [Arthur Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-henderson/) > [I take complete and sole responsibility for my present situation,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-delp/i-take-complete-and-sole-responsibility-for-my-present-situation/) [Brad Delp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-delp/) > [Always remember that your present situation is not your final dastination. The best is yet to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiran/always-remember-that-your-present-situation-is-not-your-final-2/) [Kiran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiran/) > [Always remember that your present situation is not your final destination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikkie/always-remember-that-your-present-situation-is-not-your-final/) [Nikkie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikkie/) ## More by Percy Bysshe Shelley > [The everlasting universe of things Flows through the mind, and rolls its rapid waves, Now dark--now glittering--now reflecting gloom-- Now lending splendour, where from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-everlasting-universe-of-things-flows-through-the-mind-and-rolls/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [The quick Dreams, The passion-winged Ministers of thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-quick-dreams-the-passion-winged-ministers-of-thought/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Hail to thee, blithe Spirit!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/hail-to-thee-blithe-spirit/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [The jealous keys of truth's eternal doors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-jealous-keys-of-truth-s-eternal-doors/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“Though we eat little flesh and drink no wine, Yet let's be merry; we'll have tea and toast; Custards for supper, and an endless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/though-we-eat-little-flesh-and-drink-no-wine-yet-let-s-be-merry-we-ll/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [A dream has power to poison sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/a-dream-has-power-to-poison-sleep/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Titles are tinsel, power a corrupter, glorya bubble, and excessive wealth a libel on its possessor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/titles-are-tinsel-power-a-corrupter-glorya-bubble-and-excessive/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“I fall upon the thorns of life! I bleed !”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/i-fall-upon-the-thorns-of-life-i-bleed/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“Poets and philosophers are the unacknowledged legislators of the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/poets-and-philosophers-are-the-unacknowledged-legislators-of-the-world/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Dar'st thou amid the varied multitude To live alone, an isolated thing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/dar-st-thou-amid-the-varied-multitude-to-live-alone-an-isolated-thing/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Spirit of BEAUTY, that dost consecrate With thine own hues all thou dost shine upon Of human thought or form, where art thou gone?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/spirit-of-beauty-that-dost-consecrate-with-thine-own-hues-all-thou/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [I love tranquil solitude, And such society As is quiet, wise, and good; Between thee and me What difference? but thou dost possess The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/i-love-tranquil-solitude-and-such-society-as-is-quiet-wise-and-good/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [The practice of utter sincerity towards other men would avail to no good end, if they were incapable of practising it towards their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-practice-of-utter-sincerity-towards-other-men-would-avail-to-no/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Thou shoreless flood, which in thy ebb and flow claspest the limits of mortality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/thou-shoreless-flood-which-in-thy-ebb-and-flow-claspest-the-limits-of/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Senseless is the breast and cold Which relenting love would fold; Bloodless are the veins and chill Which the pulse of pain did fill;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/senseless-is-the-breast-and-cold-which-relenting-love-would-fold/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) [Explore all 533 Percy Bysshe Shelley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) ## More Aggression quotes > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I used to fight with hate. There's been a lot of aggression in my past growing up and stuff. That's because I was hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-namajunas/i-used-to-fight-with-hate-there-s-been-a-lot-of-aggression-in-my-past/) [Rose Namajunas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-namajunas/) > [We have nothing in our history or position to invite aggression; we have everything to beckon us to the cultivation of relations of peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-have-nothing-in-our-history-or-position-to-invite-aggression-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I take up the standpoint that the tendency to aggression is an innate, independent, instinctual disposition in man, and I come back now to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/i-take-up-the-standpoint-that-the-tendency-to-aggression-is-an-innate/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [Boxing can be so important to young people, it keeps you off the street and you can channel your energy and aggression in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-benn/boxing-can-be-so-important-to-young-people-it-keeps-you-off-the/) [Nigel Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-benn/) > [“That which is of great value cannot be attained through aggression. You will be able to find the mystery of life only if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/that-which-is-of-great-value-cannot-be-attained-through-aggression/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [A society that presumes a norm of violence and celebrates aggression, whether in the subway, on the football field, or in the conduct of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/a-society-that-presumes-a-norm-of-violence-and-celebrates-aggression/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [I can remember watching MTV Cribs - these amazing houses - and looking around my house where there was no carpet on the floors.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bugzy-malone/i-can-remember-watching-mtv-cribs-these-amazing-houses-and-looking/) [Bugzy Malone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bugzy-malone/) > [Nationalism, on my opinion, is nothing more than an idealistic rationalization for militarism and aggression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/nationalism-on-my-opinion-is-nothing-more-than-an-idealistic/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I really like battle ropes. They're so versatile; you can get a terrific workout doing a ton of different exercises with them. My clients…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gunnar-peterson/i-really-like-battle-ropes-they-re-so-versatile-you-can-get-a/) [Gunnar Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gunnar-peterson/) > [ Now they \[the Powers\] have started the aggression, and the extinction of our nation is imminent. If we just fold our arms and yield… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/empress-dowager-cixi/now-they-the-powers-have-started-the-aggression-and-the-extinction-of/) [Empress Dowager Cixi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/empress-dowager-cixi/) > [I'm not going to appeal to violence or aggression - of course not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexei-navalny/i-m-not-going-to-appeal-to-violence-or-aggression-of-course-not/) [Alexei Navalny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexei-navalny/) > [This is passive-aggression in action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/this-is-passive-aggression-in-action/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [When a child hits a child, we call it aggression. When a child hits an adult, we call it hostility. When an adult hits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-a-child-hits-a-child-we-call-it-aggression-when-a-child-hits-an/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Major international interventions are doomed unless the US is directly or indirectly involved. But if American politicians, officials and servicemen are to be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/major-international-interventions-are-doomed-unless-the-us-is/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) [Browse all 860 Aggression quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aggression/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If all the thought which had been expended on the construction of engines of agony and death - the modes of aggression and defence, the raising of armies, and the acquirement of those arts of tyranny and falsehood without which mixed multitudes could neither be led nor governed - had been employed to promote the true welfare and extend the real empire of man, how different would have been the present situation of human society!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Percy Bysshe Shelley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/if-all-the-thought-which-had-been-expended-on-the-construction-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aggression" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/if-all-the-thought-which-had-been-expended-on-the-construction-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/995/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_aggression_if-all-the-thought-which-had-been-expend_2646933.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/995/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_aggression_if-all-the-thought-which-had-been-expend_2646933.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/995/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_aggression_if-all-the-thought-which-had-been-expend_2646933.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If all the thought which had been expended on the construction of engines of agony and death - the modes of…” — Percy Bysshe Shelley", "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": "Percy Bysshe Shelley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If all the thought which had...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/if-all-the-thought-which-had-been-expended-on-the-construction-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/if-all-the-thought-which-had-been-expended-on-the-construction-of/#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 } } ] } ```