--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A pacifist male is a contradiction in…" description: "\"A pacifist male is a contradiction in terms. Most self-described \"pacifists\" are not pacific; they simply assume false colors. When the wind changes, t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/robert-a-heinlein-209_assuming_a-pacifist-male-is-a-contradiction-in-te_261435.jpg" --- # A pacifist male is a contradiction in terms. Most… ![“A pacifist male is a contradiction in terms. Most self-described "pacifists" are not pacific; they simply assume false colors. When the wind changes, they hoist the Jolly Roger.” quote by Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/robert-a-heinlein-209_assuming_a-pacifist-male-is-a-contradiction-in-te_261435.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/robert-a-heinlein-209_assuming_a-pacifist-male-is-a-contradiction-in-te_261435.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/robert-a-heinlein-209_assuming_a-pacifist-male-is-a-contradiction-in-te_261435.jpg) > “A pacifist male is a contradiction in terms. Most self-described "pacifists" are not pacific; they simply assume false colors. When the wind changes, they hoist the Jolly Roger.” [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Claims that self‑identified pacifists often act aggressively when circumstances change. **In simple terms:** Pacifist labels can hide aggressive tendencies. Key Takeaway Question the consistency of pacifist claims. Themes pacifism contradiction human nature politics Mood critical inquisitive Type philosophical political When to use this quote - political discourse - military strategy - personal belief - social movements Key Concepts pacifist identity war ethical consistency Questions to Reflect On - Do you think labels accurately describe actions? - How do people reconcile pacifist beliefs with aggressive acts? A Different Perspective Labels may not reflect true behavior under pressure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Color](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/color/) [Contradiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradiction/) [Males](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/males/) [Pacific](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pacific/) [Pacifist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pacifist/) [Pacifists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pacifists/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wind/) ## Related quotes > [I like pacifists and people who have a heavy emotional identification with deathism and war would probably call me a pacifist, but I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/i-like-pacifists-and-people-who-have-a-heavy-emotional-identification/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [Indeed; peace literature is almost exclusively read, though to good effect, by pacifists, while what is needed is the canvassing of those who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrik-bajer/indeed-peace-literature-is-almost-exclusively-read-though-to-good/) [Fredrik Bajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrik-bajer/) > [Pacifism means letting the non-pacifists have control ... Pacifism will remain an ideal, war a fact. If the white races are resolved never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-spengler/pacifism-means-letting-the-non-pacifists-have-control-pacifism-will/) [Oswald Spengler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-spengler/) > [Wise men are not pacifists; they are merely less likely to jump up and retaliate against their antagonizers. They know that needless antagonizers are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/wise-men-are-not-pacifists-they-are-merely-less-likely-to-jump-up-and/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King are great examples of fantastic nonviolents who died violently. I can never work that out. We're pacifists, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/mahatma-gandhi-and-martin-luther-king-are-great-examples-of-fantastic/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [German people are essentially pacifists. Many still remember the experience of World War II. And they may not have seen Saddam Hussein as evil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/german-people-are-essentially-pacifists-many-still-remember-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [ I will not call myself a pacifist for the very simple reason that if something like a \[Francisco\] Franco should arise in Spain again,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/i-will-not-call-myself-a-pacifist-for-the-very-simple-reason-that-if/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [We pacifists have not ceased to point to the grave danger of armaments and to insist on their curtailment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-quidde/we-pacifists-have-not-ceased-to-point-to-the-grave-danger-of/) [Ludwig Quidde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-quidde/) > [Pacifism in the face of war is not only irresponsible - it is immoral. Refusing to meet force with force in the name of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-limbaugh/pacifism-in-the-face-of-war-is-not-only-irresponsible-it-is-immoral/) [David Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-limbaugh/) > [You know, if people are not pacifists, it's not their fault. It's because society puts them in that spot. You've got to change it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/you-know-if-people-are-not-pacifists-it-s-not-their-fault-it-s/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [Naturally, the common people don't want war ... but after all it is the leaders of a country who determine the policy, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-goring/naturally-the-common-people-don-t-want-war-but-after-all-it-is-the/) [Hermann Goring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-goring/) > [I do have an intense respect for pacifists, because I believe that ultimately, if we are to have a truly humanistic as well as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/i-do-have-an-intense-respect-for-pacifists-because-i-believe-that/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [Since pacifists have more freedom of action in countries where traces of democracy survive, pacifism can act more effectively against democracy than for it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/since-pacifists-have-more-freedom-of-action-in-countries-where-traces/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We're not really pacifists, we're nonviolent soldiers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-baez/we-re-not-really-pacifists-we-re-nonviolent-soldiers/) [Joan Baez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-baez/) > [“Fred Rogers richly deserves a place in the pantheon of pacifists who tried to shake the foundations of society and culture. To the day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-long/fred-rogers-richly-deserves-a-place-in-the-pantheon-of-pacifists-who/) [Michael G. Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-long/) ## More by Robert A. Heinlein > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-folks-tried-to-make-a-preacher-of-me-and-missed-by-a-narrow-margin/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Ninety percent of all human wisdom is the ability to mind your own business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/ninety-percent-of-all-human-wisdom-is-the-ability-to-mind-your-own/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [If we blow ourselves up we will do it by misapplication of science; if we manage to keep from blowing ourselves up, it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/if-we-blow-ourselves-up-we-will-do-it-by-misapplication-of-science-if/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Nor would anybody suspect. If was one thing all people took for granted, was conviction that if you feed honest figures into a computer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/nor-would-anybody-suspect-if-was-one-thing-all-people-took-for/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Women will forgive anything. Otherwise, the race would have died out long ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/women-will-forgive-anything-otherwise-the-race-would-have-died-out/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Most neuroses and some psychoses can be traced to the unnecessary and unhealthy habit of daily wallowing in the troubles and sins of five…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/most-neuroses-and-some-psychoses-can-be-traced-to-the-unnecessary-and/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [No statement should be believed because it is made by an authority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/no-statement-should-be-believed-because-it-is-made-by-an-authority/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“Some people are ants by nature; they have to work, even when it’s useless. Few people have a talent for constructive laziness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/some-people-are-ants-by-nature-they-have-to-work-even-when-it-s/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“The instinct to survive is human nature itself, and every aspect of our personalities derives from it. Anything that conflicts with the survival instinct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/the-instinct-to-survive-is-human-nature-itself-and-every-aspect-of/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“I tried to dig out of the computer a call directory for Luna. But it was still sulking. I could not get it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/i-tried-to-dig-out-of-the-computer-a-call-directory-for-luna-but-it/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“this has more aspects than a cat has hair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/this-has-more-aspects-than-a-cat-has-hair/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Never own more than you can carry in both hands at a dead run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/never-own-more-than-you-can-carry-in-both-hands-at-a-dead-run/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“In Wilson's scale of evaluations breakfast rated just after life itself and ahead of the chance of immortality." ~ By His Bootstraps / Robert A. Heinlein”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/in-wilson-s-scale-of-evaluations-breakfast-rated-just-after-life/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Ignorance is curable, stupid is forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/ignorance-is-curable-stupid-is-forever/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) [Explore all 888 Robert A. Heinlein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) ## More Assuming quotes > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/) James T. Conway > [Everyone assumes writers spend their time lounging around, writing and occasionally striking a pose whilst having a think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/everyone-assumes-writers-spend-their-time-lounging-around-writing-and/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [A state of mind is something that one assumes. It cannot be purchased, it must be created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/a-state-of-mind-is-something-that-one-assumes-it-cannot-be-purchased/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [One must believe that every living thing whatsoever must change insensibly in its organization and in its form... One must therefore never expect to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-lamarck/one-must-believe-that-every-living-thing-whatsoever-must-change/) [Jean-Baptiste Lamarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-lamarck/) > [I think the biggest problem working with me would be that I'm an only child, and so I have an internal dialogue that goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-think-the-biggest-problem-working-with-me-would-be-that-i-m-an-only/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [It is worth noticing that those who assume an imposing demeanor and seek to pass themselves off for something beyond what they are, are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/it-is-worth-noticing-that-those-who-assume-an-imposing-demeanor-and/) [Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/) > [People just assume that if you're famous, you're in Hollywood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/people-just-assume-that-if-you-re-famous-you-re-in-hollywood/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [The behavior of any bureaucratic organization can best be understood by assuming that it is controlled by a secret cabal of its enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-conquest/the-behavior-of-any-bureaucratic-organization-can-best-be-understood/) [Robert Conquest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-conquest/) > [Humans suffer from self-centred notions as to the nature of life. Humans assume that alien life forms should conform to standards that match our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-perry/humans-suffer-from-self-centred-notions-as-to-the-nature-of-life/) [Steve Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-perry/) > [We can use our art to become political, to become something you want to talk about. We make clothes, but we have the chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivier-rousteing/we-can-use-our-art-to-become-political-to-become-something-you-want/) [Olivier Rousteing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivier-rousteing/) > [Everyone seems to assume that the unscrupulous parts of journalism will be the frivolous or jocular parts. This is against all ethical experience. Jokes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/everyone-seems-to-assume-that-the-unscrupulous-parts-of-journalism/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) Browse all 2,452 Assuming quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A pacifist male is a contradiction in terms. Most self-described \"pacifists\" are not pacific; they simply assume false colors. When the wind changes, they hoist the Jolly Roger.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert A. Heinlein" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/a-pacifist-male-is-a-contradiction-in-terms-most-self-described/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Assuming" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/a-pacifist-male-is-a-contradiction-in-terms-most-self-described/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/robert-a-heinlein-209_assuming_a-pacifist-male-is-a-contradiction-in-te_261435.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/robert-a-heinlein-209_assuming_a-pacifist-male-is-a-contradiction-in-te_261435.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/robert-a-heinlein-209_assuming_a-pacifist-male-is-a-contradiction-in-te_261435.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A pacifist male is a contradiction in terms. Most self-described \"pacifists\" are not pacific; they simply…” — Robert A. Heinlein", "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": "Robert A. Heinlein", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A pacifist male is a contradiction...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/a-pacifist-male-is-a-contradiction-in-terms-most-self-described/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/a-pacifist-male-is-a-contradiction-in-terms-most-self-described/#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 } } ] } ```