--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not concerned with paid assassins…" description: "\"“I'm not concerned with paid assassins ... mindless, soulless animals who excel at nothing else. But you, Erik ... you love all the beauty in this worl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a19/susan-kay-phantom-90542_assassins_i-m-not-concerned-with-paid-assassins-mi_2988214.jpg" --- # I'm not concerned with paid assassins ... mindless… ![“I'm not concerned with paid assassins ... mindless, soulless animals who excel at nothing else. But you, Erik ... you love all the beauty in this world ... you are a genius in so many different fields. Why do you set yourself beyond the pale of humanity by such a despicable crime?" He took off the…” quote by Susan Kay, Phantom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a19/susan-kay-phantom-90542_assassins_i-m-not-concerned-with-paid-assassins-mi_2988214.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a19/susan-kay-phantom-90542_assassins_i-m-not-concerned-with-paid-assassins-mi_2988214.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a19/susan-kay-phantom-90542_assassins_i-m-not-concerned-with-paid-assassins-mi_2988214.jpg) > ““I'm not concerned with paid assassins ... mindless, soulless animals who excel at nothing else. But you, Erik ... you love all the beauty in this world ... you are a genius in so many different fields. Why do you set yourself beyond the pale of humanity by such a despicable crime?" He took off the mask and turned slowly to let me see. "This face which has denied me all human rights also frees me of all obligation to the human race," he said quietly. "My mother hated me, my village drove me from my home, I was exhibited like an animal in a cage until a knife showed me the only way to be free. The pleasures of love will always be forbidden to me ... but I am young, Nadir. I have all the desires of any normal man.”” Susan Kay, Phantom ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The protagonist just his humanity through suffering, violence, and love, questioning moral boundaries. **In simple terms:** Violence can be a twisted path to self‑realization. Key Takeaway Reflect on the cost of dehumanization. Themes identity morality violence love human rights Mood dark philosophical Type Assassins:1 Human race:0 Human rights:1 Love:1 Beauty In This World:0 Took Mask:0 Paid Assassins:0 Assassins Mindless:0 Mask Turned:0 When to use this quote - ethical debates - psychotherapy - crime studies - personal introspection Key Concepts psychology philosophy literary analysis Questions to Reflect On - What defines humanity in extreme conditions? - Can love justify harmful actions? A Different Perspective Glorifying violence is dangerous. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assassins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assassins/) [Human race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-race/) [Human rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-rights/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [I didn’t know they’d do this to you. (Syd) It’s okay, Syd. Who could have imagined that a man who heads up a company…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-didn-t-know-they-d-do-this-to-you-syd-it-s-okay-syd-who-could-have/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [The other night a mugger took off his mask and made me wear it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-dangerfield/the-other-night-a-mugger-took-off-his-mask-and-made-me-wear-it/) [Rodney Dangerfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-dangerfield/) > [Looked in the face of death and took its mask off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/looked-in-the-face-of-death-and-took-its-mask-off/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [I wanted to tell everyone that I'm on top of the world, especially to those people who thought a woman and an amputee couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arunima-sinha/i-wanted-to-tell-everyone-that-i-m-on-top-of-the-world-especially-to/) [Arunima Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arunima-sinha/) > [Looked in the face of death, and took his mask off](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/looked-in-the-face-of-death-and-took-his-mask-off/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [I do love to capture beauty in this world. And photos can last the test of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-buzolic/i-do-love-to-capture-beauty-in-this-world-and-photos-can-last-the/) [Nathaniel Buzolic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-buzolic/) > [“There's so much beauty in this world that it's hard to begin. There are no words with which to express my gratitude at having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-heti/there-s-so-much-beauty-in-this-world-that-it-s-hard-to-begin-there/) [Sheila Heti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-heti/) > [If I were to ask you out, would you give me a chance, or leave me behind? Because if you give me an opportunity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-beichley/if-i-were-to-ask-you-out-would-you-give-me-a-chance-or-leave-me/) [Nicholas Beichley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-beichley/) > [Well she won't leave this night alone And she won—t sleep at all And all the sorrow that she takes out on herself It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helio/well-she-won-t-leave-this-night-alone-and-she-won-t-sleep-at-all-and/) Helio > [“It seemed to him that he could never get a proper grip on any of the beauty in this world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayana-mathis/it-seemed-to-him-that-he-could-never-get-a-proper-grip-on-any-of-the/) [Ayana Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayana-mathis/) > [We are the spirit, the collective conscience. We create the pain, and suffering, and beauty in this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-chapman/we-are-the-spirit-the-collective-conscience-we-create-the-pain-and/) [Tracy Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-chapman/) > [We each have a moral obligation to conserve and preserve beauty in this world; there is none to waste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/we-each-have-a-moral-obligation-to-conserve-and-preserve-beauty-in/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“Some people loathe the act of killing a person at first, but as they continue to do it, it can feel like a game.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-creeden/some-people-loathe-the-act-of-killing-a-person-at-first-but-as-they/) [Pauline Creeden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-creeden/) > [Treacherous assassins, enemies of the people, and worthy of everyone's ridicule are those who, under the pretext of guiding future generations, teach them an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/treacherous-assassins-enemies-of-the-people-and-worthy-of-everyone-s/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [This is really good,” Donovan Caine said, attacking his third strawberry pancake. “You sound surprised,” I said. He shrugged. “I just didn’t think an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-estep/this-is-really-good-donovan-caine-said-attacking-his-third-strawberry/) [Jennifer Estep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-estep/) ## More by Susan Kay, Phantom > [“I saw him glance briefly round the chamber as though to make sure he had not overlooked anything that might appertain to my comfort.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-kay-phantom/i-saw-him-glance-briefly-round-the-chamber-as-though-to-make-sure-he/) Susan Kay, Phantom Explore all 2 Susan Kay, Phantom quotes ## More Assassins quotes > [This is really good,” Donovan Caine said, attacking his third strawberry pancake. “You sound surprised,” I said. He shrugged. “I just didn’t think an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-estep/this-is-really-good-donovan-caine-said-attacking-his-third-strawberry/) [Jennifer Estep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-estep/) > [“Some people loathe the act of killing a person at first, but as they continue to do it, it can feel like a game.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-creeden/some-people-loathe-the-act-of-killing-a-person-at-first-but-as-they/) [Pauline Creeden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-creeden/) > [Treacherous assassins, enemies of the people, and worthy of everyone's ridicule are those who, under the pretext of guiding future generations, teach them an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/treacherous-assassins-enemies-of-the-people-and-worthy-of-everyone-s/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [“They are the Emperor's spies, his eyes and ears. And occasionally his assassins.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-moeller/they-are-the-emperor-s-spies-his-eyes-and-ears-and-occasionally-his/) [Jonathan Moeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-moeller/) > [Yes Rosalie, we all know how proficient of an assassin you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/yes-rosalie-we-all-know-how-proficient-of-an-assassin-you-are/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [Nixon's own protection from the assassin's bullet... nattering nabobs of negativism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spiro-t-agnew/nixon-s-own-protection-from-the-assassin-s-bullet-nattering-nabobs-of/) [Spiro T. Agnew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spiro-t-agnew/) > ['The Assassins' Gate' is a very tightly controlled story of the ideas that led to the war and the consequences of those ideas in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-packer/the-assassins-gate-is-a-very-tightly-controlled-story-of-the-ideas/) [George Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-packer/) > [Procrastination is attitude's natural assassin. There's nothing so fatiguing as an uncompleted task](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/procrastination-is-attitude-s-natural-assassin-there-s-nothing-so/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [Are you suggesting I’m not normal? (Nykyrian) Oh yeah, baby, you ooze normality. From the top of that assassin’s braid to the tip of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/are-you-suggesting-i-m-not-normal-nykyrian-oh-yeah-baby-you-ooze/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [Agents of disruption, subversion, sabotage and disinformation tunnelers and smugglers, listeners and forgers, trainers and recruiters and talent spotters and couriers and watchers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/agents-of-disruption-subversion-sabotage-and-disinformation-tunnelers/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [Ananna of Tanarau is a delightfully irascible heroine, inhabiting a fascinating and fresh new world that I would love to spend more time in.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-kiernan/ananna-of-tanarau-is-a-delightfully-irascible-heroine-inhabiting-a/) [Celine Kiernan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-kiernan/) > [If a shot aimed at aptness succeeds aptly, it is then fully apt, since it is not only apt but also aptly apt. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/if-a-shot-aimed-at-aptness-succeeds-aptly-it-is-then-fully-apt-since/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) > [Some people perceive me as an assassin or at least someone who can slip under your guard with a knife. But if you watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/some-people-perceive-me-as-an-assassin-or-at-least-someone-who-can/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [The CW is a very fashion-oriented network and they like their stars to look a certain way. I like that, but at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-q/the-cw-is-a-very-fashion-oriented-network-and-they-like-their-stars/) [Maggie Q](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-q/) > [The terrorists do not understand America. The American people do not falter under threat, and we will not allow our future to be determined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/the-terrorists-do-not-understand-america-the-american-people-do-not/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) [Browse all 234 Assassins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assassins/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I'm not concerned with paid assassins ... mindless, soulless animals who excel at nothing else. But you, Erik ... you love all the beauty in this world ... you are a genius in so many different fields. 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