--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is always useful to face an enemy who…" description: "\"It is always useful to face an enemy who is prepared to die for his country,\" he read. \"This means that both you and he have exactly the same aim in mi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbb/terry-pratchett-19_aim_it-is-always-useful-to-face-an-enemy-who_431469.jpg" --- # It is always useful to face an enemy who is prepared to… ![“It is always useful to face an enemy who is prepared to die for his country," he read. "This means that both you and he have exactly the same aim in mind.” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbb/terry-pratchett-19_aim_it-is-always-useful-to-face-an-enemy-who_431469.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbb/terry-pratchett-19_aim_it-is-always-useful-to-face-an-enemy-who_431469.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbb/terry-pratchett-19_aim_it-is-always-useful-to-face-an-enemy-who_431469.jpg) > “It is always useful to face an enemy who is prepared to die for his country," he read. "This means that both you and he have exactly the same aim in mind.” [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights that when opponents share a common, ultimate purpose, the conflict becomes a mutual test of resolve rather than a simple opposition. **In simple terms:** When enemies share the same ultimate goal, the fight tests each side’s commitment. Key Takeaway Recognize shared purpose, then choose cooperation over conflict. Themes conflict purpose loyalty honor war Mood reflective serious thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - military negotiations - political diplomacy - team building - ethical debates - personal relationships Key Concepts mutual purpose ethical dilemma psychology of sacrifice Questions to Reflect On - What common goal could you share with an opponent to transform conflict? - How does recognizing shared purpose change your strategy? A Different Perspective If the shared aim is destructive, cooperation may still lead to harmful outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) [Aim Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim-mind-3802311/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Enemy Prepared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy-prepared-489152/) [Exactly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exactly/) [Exactly Aim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exactly-aim-3802310/) [Face Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/face-enemy-801711/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Prepared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prepared/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [I have an aim - I have a clear aim in my mind, and the aim is that I do not like what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-gandhi/i-have-an-aim-i-have-a-clear-aim-in-my-mind-and-the-aim-is-that-i-do/) [Rahul Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-gandhi/) > [From a position of this sort, if the enemy is unprepared, you may sally forth and defeat him. But if the enemy is prepared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/from-a-position-of-this-sort-if-the-enemy-is-unprepared-you-may-sally/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“We seem to face an enemy who, no matter how many times we win, will best us in the end. He has so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/we-seem-to-face-an-enemy-who-no-matter-how-many-times-we-win-will/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [In the face of the enemy's attempt to sow fear, we must continue with routine life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoav-gallant/in-the-face-of-the-enemy-s-attempt-to-sow-fear-we-must-continue-with/) [Yoav Gallant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoav-gallant/) > [It takes so much courage to face your enemy, but even more to be kind to those who hurt you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany/it-takes-so-much-courage-to-face-your-enemy-but-even-more-to-be-kind/) [Brittany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany/) > [She was right that reality can be harsh and that you shut your eyes to it only at your peril because if you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/she-was-right-that-reality-can-be-harsh-and-that-you-shut-your-eyes/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“Strange things happen when we stand face to face with our enemy, don't they, Phaedra of Alonso?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melina-marchetta/strange-things-happen-when-we-stand-face-to-face-with-our-enemy-don-t/) [Melina Marchetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melina-marchetta/) > [We face an enemy that is brutal. There is no negotiation with these people. You can't try to talk reason into these totalitarians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-face-an-enemy-that-is-brutal-there-is-no-negotiation-with-these/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I have seen, the true face of the enemy; in my mirror. Dare you look, see, the same Demon, that plagues me? The Great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-nickel/i-have-seen-the-true-face-of-the-enemy-in-my-mirror-dare-you-look-see/) [Eric Nickel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-nickel/) > [The face of the enemy frightens me only when I see how it resembles me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-face-of-the-enemy-frightens-me-only-when-i-see-how-it-resembles-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“We face the enemy and contend with him—if he turns away we let him go. (Page 13).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadami-yamada/we-face-the-enemy-and-contend-with-him-if-he-turns-away-we-let-him-go/) [Sadami Yamada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadami-yamada/) > [The face of the enemy frightens me only when I see how much it resembles me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-face-of-the-enemy-frightens-me-only-when-i-see-how-much-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The military has no constant form, just as water has no constant shape - adapt as you face the enemy, without letting them know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/the-military-has-no-constant-form-just-as-water-has-no-constant-shape/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [“My life had gone right; it had gone exactly as it needed to in order to bring me here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-harbison/my-life-had-gone-right-it-had-gone-exactly-as-it-needed-to-in-order/) [Beth Harbison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-harbison/) > [Once you stop looking for what you what you find exactly what you need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia/once-you-stop-looking-for-what-you-what-you-find-exactly-what-you-need/) [Cynthia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia/) ## More by Terry Pratchett > [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“But I did not return until half past four this morning and I distinctly remember stubbing my toe on the stairs. I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. 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Like being dead, she considered, only worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/magrat-wondered-what-it-was-like-spending-your-whole-life-doing/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There were more old people. The world was full of them,' said the wizard. 'Yes, I know. And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There is a night that never comes to an end… The clock of the world turns under its own shadow. Midnight is a moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-night-that-never-comes-to-an-end-the-clock-of-the-world/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 'I'd like a hard-boiled egg,' said Vimes, shaking the match out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-d-like-freedom-truth-and-justice-wouldn-t-you-comrade-sergeant/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You are not apprehensive, are you? I can't detect no trace of fear none whatsoever Roomy cranium all possible videos of all possible outcomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-are-not-apprehensive-are-you-i-can-t-detect-no-trace-of-fear-none/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Imagination, not intelligence, made us human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/imagination-not-intelligence-made-us-human/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) [Explore all 3,328 Terry Pratchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More Aim quotes > [If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-aim-at-nothing-you-will-hit-it-every-time/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [A good aim surveys the present state of experience of pupils, and forming a tentative plan of treatment, keeps the plan constantly in view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-good-aim-surveys-the-present-state-of-experience-of-pupils-and/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [The Christian man must aim at that complete obedience to God in which life finds its highest happiness, its greatest good, its perfect consummation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/the-christian-man-must-aim-at-that-complete-obedience-to-god-in-which/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [In Bosnia, little children shot in the head by a guy who thinks it's okay to aim his gun at a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/in-bosnia-little-children-shot-in-the-head-by-a-guy-who-thinks-it-s/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [My main aim has always been to do good quality films with roles that have some substance. With Power and Beauty there were loads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-henstridge/my-main-aim-has-always-been-to-do-good-quality-films-with-roles-that/) [Natasha Henstridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-henstridge/) > [ I really enjoyed it - being involved in watching rushes and playback \[in "The Invisible Woman"\]. Ralph \[Fiennes\] was very open to my input,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-really-enjoyed-it-being-involved-in-watching-rushes-and-playback-in/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [My aim is to be counted among the top players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babar-azam/my-aim-is-to-be-counted-among-the-top-players/) [Babar Azam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babar-azam/) > [The single aim of my life is that every child is: free to be a child, free to grow and develop, free to eat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-satyarthi/the-single-aim-of-my-life-is-that-every-child-is-free-to-be-a-child/) [Kailash Satyarthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-satyarthi/) > [The aim of good prose words is to mean what they say. The aim of good poetical words is to mean what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-aim-of-good-prose-words-is-to-mean-what-they-say-the-aim-of-good/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [To be normal is the ultimate aim of the unsuccessful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/to-be-normal-is-the-ultimate-aim-of-the-unsuccessful/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 3,047 Aim quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aim/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is always useful to face an enemy who is prepared to die for his country,\" he read. \"This means that both you and he have exactly the same aim in mind.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Terry Pratchett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-is-always-useful-to-face-an-enemy-who-is-prepared-to-die-for-his/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aim" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-is-always-useful-to-face-an-enemy-who-is-prepared-to-die-for-his/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbb/terry-pratchett-19_aim_it-is-always-useful-to-face-an-enemy-who_431469.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbb/terry-pratchett-19_aim_it-is-always-useful-to-face-an-enemy-who_431469.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbb/terry-pratchett-19_aim_it-is-always-useful-to-face-an-enemy-who_431469.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is always useful to face an enemy who is prepared to die for his country,\" he read. \"This means that both…” — Terry Pratchett", "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": "Terry Pratchett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is always useful to face...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-is-always-useful-to-face-an-enemy-who-is-prepared-to-die-for-his/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-is-always-useful-to-face-an-enemy-who-is-prepared-to-die-for-his/#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 } } ] } ```