--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are constantly trying to cope with…" description: "\"We are constantly trying to cope with what our fathers or our grandfathers did. I wrote the book 'Great War of Civilization,' and my father was a solid..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbb/robert-fisk-7244_army_we-are-constantly-trying-to-cope-with-wh_3061558.jpg" --- # We are constantly trying to cope with what our fathers or… ![“We are constantly trying to cope with what our fathers or our grandfathers did. I wrote the book 'Great War of Civilization,' and my father was a solider in the First World War which produced the current Middle East - not that he had much to do with that - but he fought in what he believed was the…” quote by Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbb/robert-fisk-7244_army_we-are-constantly-trying-to-cope-with-wh_3061558.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbb/robert-fisk-7244_army_we-are-constantly-trying-to-cope-with-wh_3061558.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbb/robert-fisk-7244_army_we-are-constantly-trying-to-cope-with-wh_3061558.jpg) > “We are constantly trying to cope with what our fathers or our grandfathers did. I wrote the book 'Great War of Civilization,' and my father was a solider in the First World War which produced the current Middle East - not that he had much to do with that - but he fought in what he believed was the Great War for Civilization.” [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We inherit and wrestle with the legacies of previous generations, shaping our present conflicts. **In simple terms:** We struggle with our ancestors' actions. Key Takeaway Recognize and question inherited narratives. Themes history legacy conflict identity generational trauma Mood thoughtful reflective Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - political analysis - personal reflection - educational discourse Key Concepts historical determinism collective memory psychology of inheritance Questions to Reflect On - How do you see your family's past influencing your views? - What can be done to break harmful cycles? A Different Perspective Legacy can be misinterpreted without context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Army](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/army/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Civilization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilization/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fathers/) [First world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-world/) [First world war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-world-war/) [Grandfathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grandfathers/) [Great war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-war/) [Middle east](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-east/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war/) ## Related quotes > [Let our Fathers and Grandfathers be valued for their Goodness, ourselves for our own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/let-our-fathers-and-grandfathers-be-valued-for-their-goodness/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“The Cold War could have produced a hot war that might have ended human life on the planet. But because the fear of such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis-gaddis/the-cold-war-could-have-produced-a-hot-war-that-might-have-ended/) [John Lewis Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis-gaddis/) > [Our fathers and grandfathers who poured over the Midwest were self-reliant, rugged, God-fearing people of indomitable courage...They asked only for freedom of opportunity and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-hoover/our-fathers-and-grandfathers-who-poured-over-the-midwest-were-self/) [Herbert Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-hoover/) > [Working men, in particular, face a world they did not expect, jobs are hard to find and pay badly meaning they often can't provide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/working-men-in-particular-face-a-world-they-did-not-expect-jobs-are/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [“Battle is for an army to win or lose; war is for civilization to win or lose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-c-esslemont/battle-is-for-an-army-to-win-or-lose-war-is-for-civilization-to-win/) [Ian C. Esslemont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-c-esslemont/) > [Probably, no nation is rich enough to pay for both war and civilization. We must make our choice; we cannot have both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-flexner/probably-no-nation-is-rich-enough-to-pay-for-both-war-and/) [Abraham Flexner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-flexner/) > [“Nations have recently been led to borrow billions for war; no nation has ever borrowed largely for education. Probably, no nation is rich enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-flexner/nations-have-recently-been-led-to-borrow-billions-for-war-no-nation/) [Abraham Flexner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-flexner/) > [This war in Vietnam is, I believe, a war for civilization. Certainly it is not a war of our seeking. It is a war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-spellman/this-war-in-vietnam-is-i-believe-a-war-for-civilization-certainly-it/) Francis Spellman > [“Well, we are making war for civilization, are we not? Very well, we are. Therefore, we eat in a civilized way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-post/well-we-are-making-war-for-civilization-are-we-not-very-well-we-are/) [Emily Post](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-post/) > [What you people who weren't yet born can never know is what it meant to sleep in cities under silent falls of snow when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-findley/what-you-people-who-weren-t-yet-born-can-never-know-is-what-it-meant/) [Timothy Findley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-findley/) > [If men do not now succeed in abolishing war, civilization and mankind are doomed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-men-do-not-now-succeed-in-abolishing-war-civilization-and-mankind/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [The French suffered such catastrophic losses in the First World War. It really was the end of them as a great world power, although…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-herrmann/the-french-suffered-such-catastrophic-losses-in-the-first-world-war/) [Edward Herrmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-herrmann/) > [As the First World War made painfully clear, when politicians and generals lead nations into war, they almost invariably assume swift victory, and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hochschild/as-the-first-world-war-made-painfully-clear-when-politicians-and/) [Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/) > [I think growing up in South Africa, and then moving to Canada, I'm just genuinely interested in the difference between the First World and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/i-think-growing-up-in-south-africa-and-then-moving-to-canada-i-m-just/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [Pesticides came about after the first world war. Some brainy petrochemical money maker said, 'Hey, that mustard gas worked great on people, maybe we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/pesticides-came-about-after-the-first-world-war-some-brainy/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) ## More by Robert Fisk > [Wasn't Saddam destroyed? Wasn't Gaddafi liquidated? Didn't Milosevic go to the Hague? All true. But Stalin survived. Kim Jong-un isn't doing too badly, either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/wasn-t-saddam-destroyed-wasn-t-gaddafi-liquidated-didn-t-milosevic-go/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [And I think, in the end, that is the best definition of journalism I have heard; to challenge authority - all authority - especially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/and-i-think-in-the-end-that-is-the-best-definition-of-journalism-i/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [Bin Laden was constantly revolving in his mind the fact that he had got rid of the Russians; therefore, the Americans can be got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/bin-laden-was-constantly-revolving-in-his-mind-the-fact-that-he-had/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [How could believers, people who regard themselves as true Muslims, get on those planes, quoting the words of God delivered through the Prophet to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/how-could-believers-people-who-regard-themselves-as-true-muslims-get/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [American power in the Middle East is collapsing. It doesn't need much more than a shove, and it will - and that's not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/american-power-in-the-middle-east-is-collapsing-it-doesn-t-need-much/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [The Second World War is and was constantly being drudged up by Blair and Bush to rationalize the invasion of Iraq.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/the-second-world-war-is-and-was-constantly-being-drudged-up-by-blair/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [I'm not sure whether I've been happy. After my last book tour, I sat on my balcony with a cup of tea. I thought:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/i-m-not-sure-whether-i-ve-been-happy-after-my-last-book-tour-i-sat-on/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [“Terrorism” is a word that has become a plague on our vocabulary, the excuse and reason and moral permit for state-sponsored violence— our violence—which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/terrorism-is-a-word-that-has-become-a-plague-on-our-vocabulary-the/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [In just one year in Bosnia, thirty of my colleagues died. There is a little Somme waiting for all innocent journalists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/in-just-one-year-in-bosnia-thirty-of-my-colleagues-died-there-is-a/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [Israel lost its war. Will Assad's enemies lose, too?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/israel-lost-its-war-will-assad-s-enemies-lose-too/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [President Bush cruelly manipulated the grief of the American people - and the sympathy of the rest of the world - to introduce a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/president-bush-cruelly-manipulated-the-grief-of-the-american-people/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [I was very struck by the fact that Colin Powell said he would produce evidence of Osama bin Laden fault and then never produced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/i-was-very-struck-by-the-fact-that-colin-powell-said-he-would-produce/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [I've never seen a single demonstration in Pakistan, in the streets of Gaza, in the West Bank, in which the people have come out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/i-ve-never-seen-a-single-demonstration-in-pakistan-in-the-streets-of/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [There is nothing so satisfying as to be shot at without effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/there-is-nothing-so-satisfying-as-to-be-shot-at-without-effect/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [President Bush will come here and there will be new "friends" of America to open a new relationship with the world, new economic fortunes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/president-bush-will-come-here-and-there-will-be-new-friends-of/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) [Explore all 92 Robert Fisk quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) ## 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. 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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": "We are constantly trying to cope with what our fathers or our grandfathers did. 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