--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think a nuclear detonation is…" description: "\"I think a nuclear detonation is society-altering in ways that other attacks, even as horrific as 9/11, are not. This isn't because we have power-hungry..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dc/valerie-plame-5250_attacks_i-think-a-nuclear-detonation-is-society_204448.png" --- # I think a nuclear detonation is society-altering in ways… ![“I think a nuclear detonation is society-altering in ways that other attacks, even as horrific as 9/11, are not. This isn't because we have power-hungry political leaders, but I think it might be demanded by the people themselves out of fear.” quote by Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dc/valerie-plame-5250_attacks_i-think-a-nuclear-detonation-is-society_204448.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dc/valerie-plame-5250_attacks_i-think-a-nuclear-detonation-is-society_204448.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7dc/valerie-plame-5250_attacks_i-think-a-nuclear-detonation-is-society_204448.png) > “I think a nuclear detonation is society-altering in ways that other attacks, even as horrific as 9/11, are not. This isn't because we have power-hungry political leaders, but I think it might be demanded by the people themselves out of fear.” [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Nuclear attacks reshape society uniquely, driven by public fear, not just leaders’ ambitions. **In simple terms:** Nuclear threats alter society because people fear them. Key Takeaway Address public fear to prevent demand for extreme weapons. Themes security nuclear societal impact fear Mood analytical concerned Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - policy making - public education - crisis management - media narratives Key Concepts political science psychology Questions to Reflect On - What fears drive public support for nuclear options? - How can societies reduce nuclear anxiety? A Different Perspective Focusing solely on leaders overlooks grassroots anxieties. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leader/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political Leader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-leader/) [Political leaders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-leaders/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [A terrorist nuclear detonation in a western city would destroy all economic confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bruton/a-terrorist-nuclear-detonation-in-a-western-city-would-destroy-all/) [John Bruton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bruton/) > [The probability of a fatal nuclear detonation is greater now than at any time during the Cold War. As the Russian military deteriorates, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cranston/the-probability-of-a-fatal-nuclear-detonation-is-greater-now-than-at/) [Alan Cranston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cranston/) > [Push a button on these broke boys, that's detonation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-ross/push-a-button-on-these-broke-boys-that-s-detonation/) [Rick Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-ross/) > [“So either panicking amateurs or something critical to defend,” Holden said. A metal canister the size of a fist rolled through the gateway, clanking.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/so-either-panicking-amateurs-or-something-critical-to-defend-holden/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“every direction. Those poor, unfortunate souls who didn’t die instantly suddenly found themselves blinded and burning and unable to move. Some would hang on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-c-rosenberg/every-direction-those-poor-unfortunate-souls-who-didn-t-die-instantly/) [Joel C. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-c-rosenberg/) > [“The two males had been standing directly in front of the point of detonation, and both had been killed instantly.  Standing a few yards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dirk-patton/the-two-males-had-been-standing-directly-in-front-of-the-point-of/) [Dirk Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dirk-patton/) > [“It was the sound of somebody punching a giant marshmallow that announced the detonation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-adair/it-was-the-sound-of-somebody-punching-a-giant-marshmallow-that/) [Bobby Adair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-adair/) > [“an atom, and the resulting detonation blinded them all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-gurley/an-atom-and-the-resulting-detonation-blinded-them-all/) [Jason Gurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-gurley/) > [“On detonation, red sugar spilled out of the corner of my mouth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-glenum/on-detonation-red-sugar-spilled-out-of-the-corner-of-my-mouth/) Lara Glenum > [ He \[Ryan White\] had a kind of angelic aura about him. And his family, too, it's like, they are going through all this suffering,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/he-ryan-white-had-a-kind-of-angelic-aura-about-him-and-his-family-too/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) > [Anybody who knows about having a premature baby, it's horrific. He was part of a twin, and I lost his sister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherri-shepherd/anybody-who-knows-about-having-a-premature-baby-it-s-horrific-he-was/) [Sherri Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherri-shepherd/) > [I have this horrific thing where I'm really bad with names and faces. I have an appalling memory. Someone will come up to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-redmayne/i-have-this-horrific-thing-where-i-m-really-bad-with-names-and-faces/) [Eddie Redmayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-redmayne/) > [ No one is suggesting that \[violent video games are\] the only reason they went out and committed those horrific acts, but was it a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-steyer/no-one-is-suggesting-that-violent-video-games-are-the-only-reason/) Jim Steyer > [News has become entertainment. Once that happens, a whole series of horrific events start to happen, whether it's the lack of dissemination of something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gilroy/news-has-become-entertainment-once-that-happens-a-whole-series-of/) [Dan Gilroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gilroy/) > [A terrorist network that believes a nation so tested will fold under pressure of a few horrific acts may capture its attention, but will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-foxx/a-terrorist-network-that-believes-a-nation-so-tested-will-fold-under/) [Virginia Foxx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-foxx/) ## More by Valerie Plame > [My father was an air officer in the Second World War. My brother was a marine in Vietnam. When I was given this opportunity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/my-father-was-an-air-officer-in-the-second-world-war-my-brother-was-a/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [Hair and make-up always helps. I did always try to be well-groomed, professional at all times. Take your job seriously - but not yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/hair-and-make-up-always-helps-i-did-always-try-to-be-well-groomed/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [The Cold War has ended. It's very simple. We are no longer living in a bipolar world. The chances that we will go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/the-cold-war-has-ended-it-s-very-simple-we-are-no-longer-living-in-a/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [We in no way are naive to think that just because Russia and the United States agree to reduce their arsenals, that everyone else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/we-in-no-way-are-naive-to-think-that-just-because-russia-and-the/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [I can tell you, all the intelligence services in the world were running my name through their databases to see did anyone by this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/i-can-tell-you-all-the-intelligence-services-in-the-world-were/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [These are issues we've been grappling with since the Constitution was written: how you hold your government to account for its words and deeds.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/these-are-issues-we-ve-been-grappling-with-since-the-constitution-was/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [One characteristic that I hope I never relinquish is an intense curiosity about the world around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/one-characteristic-that-i-hope-i-never-relinquish-is-an-intense/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [Joe was being called a liar and a traitor; I'm being accused of nepotism, of being a glorified secretary. The stresses that that places…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/joe-was-being-called-a-liar-and-a-traitor-i-m-being-accused-of/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [The entire intelligence community is so bloated and so reliant on contractors. There's no question there's many tasks that make sense to outsource, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/the-entire-intelligence-community-is-so-bloated-and-so-reliant-on/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [For me, I thought I had the best job in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/for-me-i-thought-i-had-the-best-job-in-the-world/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [I have always been appalled by the depiction of female CIA operatives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/i-have-always-been-appalled-by-the-depiction-of-female-cia-operatives/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [I think human intelligence is the only one that will actually tell you intent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/i-think-human-intelligence-is-the-only-one-that-will-actually-tell/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [There's no way you can possibly intellectually justify, 'Well, it's okay for the Western Judeo-Christian countries to have nuclear weapons, but not for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/there-s-no-way-you-can-possibly-intellectually-justify-well-it-s-okay/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [Of course the job has a lot of glamour. But it really is about being smarter than your average bear. Your mind is your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/of-course-the-job-has-a-lot-of-glamour-but-it-really-is-about-being/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [Looking back at my career, I wish I knew then what I know now... that gender bias is built into the system, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/looking-back-at-my-career-i-wish-i-knew-then-what-i-know-now-that/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) [Explore all 102 Valerie Plame quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) ## More Attacks quotes > [The way I look at it is, cancer research is absolutely nonpartisan. Cancer is very democratic in the sense that it attacks people regardless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-koch/the-way-i-look-at-it-is-cancer-research-is-absolutely-nonpartisan/) [David H. Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-koch/) > [I personally felt that his ad hominen attacks on British architects were not the sort of thing a Prince of Wales should be doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-holden/i-personally-felt-that-his-ad-hominen-attacks-on-british-architects/) [Anthony Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-holden/) > [The administration of George W. Bush, emboldened by the Sept. 11 attacks and the backing of a Republican Congress, has sought to further extend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-feldman/the-administration-of-george-w-bush-emboldened-by-the-sept-11-attacks/) [Noah Feldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-feldman/) > [If nothing else, the cyber attacks that occurred during the 2016 presidential election have laid bare the very real vulnerabilities that exist across our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/if-nothing-else-the-cyber-attacks-that-occurred-during-the-2016/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) > [We've had Saudis and Jordanians and Pakistanis who have - and Syrians - who have been involved in armed attacks against coalition forces in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-armitage/we-ve-had-saudis-and-jordanians-and-pakistanis-who-have-and-syrians/) [Richard Armitage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-armitage/) > [“At the same time that we see a massive deployment of wireless radiation, we see the most violent attacks on modern society.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/at-the-same-time-that-we-see-a-massive-deployment-of-wireless/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [At sleepovers I would have panic attacks trying to break it to girls that they didn't want to kiss me without outing myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/io-tillett-wright/at-sleepovers-i-would-have-panic-attacks-trying-to-break-it-to-girls/) [iO Tillett Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/io-tillett-wright/) > [I knew I was having a panic attack. I hadn't had one in a while, though, and I'd forgotton how it makes me feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemantsmarty/i-knew-i-was-having-a-panic-attack-i-hadn-t-had-one-in-a-while-though/) Hemantsmarty > [We now know that gun-free zones, though well intentioned, do not prevent attacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-prince/we-now-know-that-gun-free-zones-though-well-intentioned-do-not/) [Erik Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-prince/) > [Weichel hits very hard and is very good with the timing of his attacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricio-freire/weichel-hits-very-hard-and-is-very-good-with-the-timing-of-his-attacks/) [Patricio Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricio-freire/) > [The wrongful arrest of tens of thousands of British Muslims after the September 11 attacks can be explained by the very poor intelligence the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/the-wrongful-arrest-of-tens-of-thousands-of-british-muslims-after-the/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) > [Mediocrity always attacks excellence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-beckwith/mediocrity-always-attacks-excellence/) [Michael Beckwith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-beckwith/) > [The majority of terrorist attacks that have been disrupted in the United States have been disrupted due to things like the Time Square bomber,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-majority-of-terrorist-attacks-that-have-been-disrupted-in-the/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [We can't gather the intelligence we need to foil future attacks, if we are blindly granting terrorists the right to remain silent. But for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-can-t-gather-the-intelligence-we-need-to-foil-future-attacks-if-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Less than a year after the Sept. 11 attacks, al-Qaida attacks were continuing: the firebombing of a synagogue in Tunisia in April, a bomb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-dedman/less-than-a-year-after-the-sept-11-attacks-al-qaida-attacks-were/) [Bill Dedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-dedman/) Browse all 291 Attacks quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think a nuclear detonation is society-altering in ways that other attacks, even as horrific as 9/11, are not. 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