--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Those who play with the devil's toys will…" description: "\"Those who play with the devil's toys will be brought by degrees to wield his sword.\" — R. Buckminster Fuller" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15f/r-buckminster-fuller-937_degrees_those-who-play-with-the-devil-s-toys-wil_837831.png" --- # Those who play with the devil's toys will be brought by… ![“Those who play with the devil's toys will be brought by degrees to wield his sword.” quote by R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15f/r-buckminster-fuller-937_degrees_those-who-play-with-the-devil-s-toys-wil_837831.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15f/r-buckminster-fuller-937_degrees_those-who-play-with-the-devil-s-toys-wil_837831.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/15f/r-buckminster-fuller-937_degrees_those-who-play-with-the-devil-s-toys-wil_837831.png) > “Those who play with the devil's toys will be brought by degrees to wield his sword.” [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Playing with dangerous ideas gradually normalizes them, leading to greater responsibility and potential danger. **In simple terms:** Playing with danger leads to wielding it. Key Takeaway Beware of incremental escalation. Themes ethics responsibility danger Mood cautious reflective Type philosophical warning When to use this quote - political activism - technology development - personal habits Key Concepts philosophy risk management Questions to Reflect On - What small risks have you accepted? - How to stay vigilant? A Different Perspective Risk of desensitization. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Degrees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/degrees/) [Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) [Devil Toys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil-toys-615384/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-devil-275193/) [Sword](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sword/) [Toys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toys/) [Toys Brought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toys-brought-615386/) [Wield Sword](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wield-sword-615385/) ## Related quotes > [Those who do not fear the sword they wield have no right to wield a sword at all. ~Shuhei Hisagi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tite-kubo/those-who-do-not-fear-the-sword-they-wield-have-no-right-to-wield-a/) [Tite Kubo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tite-kubo/) > [We had weapons training. I got to wield a sword. I mean, sure, the sword was made safe for my hands, so it looks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rosenthal/we-had-weapons-training-i-got-to-wield-a-sword-i-mean-sure-the-sword/) [Tom Rosenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rosenthal/) > [If I don't wield the sword, I can't protect you. If I keep wielding the sword, I can't embrace you. -Ichigo Kurosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tite-kubo/if-i-don-t-wield-the-sword-i-can-t-protect-you-if-i-keep-wielding-the/) [Tite Kubo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tite-kubo/) > [“All human beings wield influence—a powerful sword granted at birth. Wield your sword with care.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/all-human-beings-wield-influence-a-powerful-sword-granted-at-birth/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [And thus I clothe my naked villainy With odd old ends stol'n out of holy writ; And seem a saint, when most I play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/and-thus-i-clothe-my-naked-villainy-with-odd-old-ends-stol-n-out-of/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The devil ain't got no power over me. The devil come, and me shake hands with the devil. Devil have his part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-marley/the-devil-ain-t-got-no-power-over-me-the-devil-come-and-me-shake/) [Bob Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-marley/) > [I empty myself out and fill myself with the character. I would play a devil worshipper, and I would fill myself up with whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelsan-ellis/i-empty-myself-out-and-fill-myself-with-the-character-i-would-play-a/) [Nelsan Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelsan-ellis/) > [The world just might be the devils playground but we don't have to play with the devil!!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-j-cowell/the-world-just-might-be-the-devils-playground-but-we-don-t-have-to/) [Larry J Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-j-cowell/) > [I will sit there on the air and look at every position and play devil's advocate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-jones/i-will-sit-there-on-the-air-and-look-at-every-position-and-play-devil/) [Alex Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-jones/) > [I'll be very content if I never play 'Devil Went Down to Georgia' again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martie-maguire/i-ll-be-very-content-if-i-never-play-devil-went-down-to-georgia-again/) [Martie Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martie-maguire/) > [One thing that I've learned about myself is I have to trust what I see. And that maybe sounds silly, but there's things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-fitzpatrick/one-thing-that-i-ve-learned-about-myself-is-i-have-to-trust-what-i/) [Ryan Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-fitzpatrick/) > [If you wish to seduce an angel, you must play the part of a devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliphas-levi/if-you-wish-to-seduce-an-angel-you-must-play-the-part-of-a-devil/) [Eliphas Levi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliphas-levi/) > [I hate people who say 'Just to play devil's advocate.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-macfarlane/i-hate-people-who-say-just-to-play-devil-s-advocate/) [Seth MacFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-macfarlane/) > [Never play with the Devil if you are afraid to shake the dice because you will never throw a six.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/never-play-with-the-devil-if-you-are-afraid-to-shake-the-dice-because/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [If a Devil is one who dares, when others hold back, then I am happy to play the Devil in this Mystery, boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/if-a-devil-is-one-who-dares-when-others-hold-back-then-i-am-happy-to/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) ## More by R. Buckminster Fuller > [If you are the master be sometimes blind, if you are the servant be sometimes deaf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/if-you-are-the-master-be-sometimes-blind-if-you-are-the-servant-be/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [The dark ages still reign over all humanity, and the depth and persistence of this domination are only now becoming clear. This Dark Ages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/the-dark-ages-still-reign-over-all-humanity-and-the-depth-and/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [All children are born geniuses, and we spend the first six years of their lives degeniusing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/all-children-are-born-geniuses-and-we-spend-the-first-six-years-of/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [I have spent most of my life unlearning things that were proved not to be true](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/i-have-spent-most-of-my-life-unlearning-things-that-were-proved-not/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [There is no energy crisis, only a crisis of ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/there-is-no-energy-crisis-only-a-crisis-of-ignorance/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [The opposite of nature is impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/the-opposite-of-nature-is-impossible/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [You can never learn less; you can only learn more. 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Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [We are in an age that assumes the narrowing trends of specialization to be logical, natural, and desirable. Consequently, society expects all earnestly responsible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/we-are-in-an-age-that-assumes-the-narrowing-trends-of-specialization/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [Synergy means behavior of whole systems unpredicted by the behavior of their parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/synergy-means-behavior-of-whole-systems-unpredicted-by-the-behavior/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [We must start with scientific fundamentals, and that means with the data of experiments and not with assumed axioms predicated only upon the misleading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/we-must-start-with-scientific-fundamentals-and-that-means-with-the/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [The Universe consists of non-simultaneously apprehended events.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/the-universe-consists-of-non-simultaneously-apprehended-events/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [Humans have always unknowingly affected all Universe by every act and thought they articulate or even consider.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/humans-have-always-unknowingly-affected-all-universe-by-every-act-and/) [R. 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And I think that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/photography-is-likewise-even-french-impressionists-so-the-sculls/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [The Only cure for nihilism is for liberal democratic societies - their electorates, their judiciary, and their political leadership- to insist that force is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/the-only-cure-for-nihilism-is-for-liberal-democratic-societies-their/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) > [A free society depends upon a high degree of mutual trust. The public will not give that trust to officials who are not seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-cox/a-free-society-depends-upon-a-high-degree-of-mutual-trust-the-public/) [Archibald Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-cox/) > [I was a full time student either at Stony Brook or NYU getting my masters degree. 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