--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you want to destroy your enemy, give…" description: "\"If you want to destroy your enemy, give him an elephant as a gift.\" — Vikrant Parsai" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/vikrant-parsai-70_animal_if-you-want-to-destroy-your-enemy-give-h_452995.jpg" --- # If you want to destroy your enemy, give him an elephant as… ![“If you want to destroy your enemy, give him an elephant as a gift.” quote by Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/vikrant-parsai-70_animal_if-you-want-to-destroy-your-enemy-give-h_452995.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/vikrant-parsai-70_animal_if-you-want-to-destroy-your-enemy-give-h_452995.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/vikrant-parsai-70_animal_if-you-want-to-destroy-your-enemy-give-h_452995.jpg) > “If you want to destroy your enemy, give him an elephant as a gift.” [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Giving an enemy a massive, burdensome gift (an elephant) will cripple them, illustrating a tactic of overwhelming opposition with absurdity. **In simple terms:** A huge, impractical gift can sabotage an opponent. Key Takeaway Use humor or absurdity to destabilize rivals. Themes strategy psychology conflict humor absurdity Mood witty cautious Type strategic humorous When to use this quote - marketing a competitor - political satire - negotiation tactics Key Concepts tactical distraction psychological warfare resource strain Questions to Reflect On - When is absurdity an effective strategy? - What ethical limits exist? A Different Perspective May backfire if perceived as petty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Destroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroy/) [Destroy Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroy-enemy-743639/) [Elephant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elephant/) [Elephant Gift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elephant-gift-843834/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Enemy Elephant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy-elephant-3949229/) [Gift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gift/) [Give](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/give/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [We always do a white elephant gift exchange on Christmas Eve, but my mom always gets really nice gifts for it. And we hang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lacey-chabert/we-always-do-a-white-elephant-gift-exchange-on-christmas-eve-but-my/) [Lacey Chabert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lacey-chabert/) > [“This year, Rebecca instituted a White Elephant gift exchange, that passive-aggressive method of conveying just how little the people you see more often than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/qwen-salsbury/this-year-rebecca-instituted-a-white-elephant-gift-exchange-that/) [Qwen Salsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/qwen-salsbury/) > [I destroy my enemy if I make him my friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-destroy-my-enemy-if-i-make-him-my-friend/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The best way to destroy an enemy is to make him your friend but remember an old one will never become your friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/the-best-way-to-destroy-an-enemy-is-to-make-him-your-friend-but/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [The best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-best-way-to-destroy-an-enemy-is-to-make-him-a-friend/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [And that is how we intend to destroy the enemy!" The superior shakes his head wearily. "Young man, the Soviets are our adversary. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-frum/and-that-is-how-we-intend-to-destroy-the-enemy-the-superior-shakes/) [David Frum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-frum/) > [One need not destroy one's enemy. One need only destroy his willingness to engage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/one-need-not-destroy-one-s-enemy-one-need-only-destroy-his/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Here is one of the first rules of politics: it's not enough that I do well; I must also destroy my enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-press/here-is-one-of-the-first-rules-of-politics-it-s-not-enough-that-i-do/) [Bill Press](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-press/) > [To destroy the enemy it can be necessary to understand him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/to-destroy-the-enemy-it-can-be-necessary-to-understand-him/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“They said" Your Anger could Destroy you.." Even if my Brain designed it to Destroy my enemy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/srinivas-shenoy/they-said-your-anger-could-destroy-you-even-if-my-brain-designed-it/) [Srinivas Shenoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/srinivas-shenoy/) > [The first law of war is to preserve ourselves and destroy the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/the-first-law-of-war-is-to-preserve-ourselves-and-destroy-the-enemy/) [Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/) > [The best way to know and destroy an enemy is to pretend to become his friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-best-way-to-know-and-destroy-an-enemy-is-to-pretend-to-become-his/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Destroy your enemy by making him your friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/destroy-your-enemy-by-making-him-your-friend/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The one effective method of defending one's own territory from an offensive by air is to destroy the enemy's air power with the greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giulio-douhet/the-one-effective-method-of-defending-one-s-own-territory-from-an/) [Giulio Douhet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giulio-douhet/) > [A single blow must destroy the enemy... without regard of losses... a gigantic all-destroying blow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-single-blow-must-destroy-the-enemy-without-regard-of-losses-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Vikrant Parsai > [Too much familiarity breeds contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/too-much-familiarity-breeds-contempt/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [A mistake doesnt make you a fool, but denying it surely makes you one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-mistake-doesnt-make-you-a-fool-but-denying-it-surely-makes-you-one/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Bring up your children in the way you think other peoples children should go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/bring-up-your-children-in-the-way-you-think-other-peoples-children/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [A child who goes to school but learns nothing is like an anchor that is always in the sea yet doesnt learn to swim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-child-who-goes-to-school-but-learns-nothing-is-like-an-anchor-that/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [To follow good manners willingly is like paving the road and to tell somebody to follow them is like the road which is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/to-follow-good-manners-willingly-is-like-paving-the-road-and-to-tell/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [We must live not as we like, but as we can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/we-must-live-not-as-we-like-but-as-we-can/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Man is so intelligent animal on earth that if he was empowered as much as God, he would start battling with him to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/man-is-so-intelligent-animal-on-earth-that-if-he-was-empowered-as/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Societies that are disciplined to get what they want become dangerous when they don't get what they want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/societies-that-are-disciplined-to-get-what-they-want-become-dangerous/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [It is the thoughts that matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/it-is-the-thoughts-that-matter/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [It is a bad well into which you have to pour water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/it-is-a-bad-well-into-which-you-have-to-pour-water/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [You can stop speaking to someone, but you cannot stop being related.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/you-can-stop-speaking-to-someone-but-you-cannot-stop-being-related/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Pay what you owe and youll know what youre worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/pay-what-you-owe-and-youll-know-what-youre-worth/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [He who has no house of his own is everywhere at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/he-who-has-no-house-of-his-own-is-everywhere-at-home/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) [Explore all 1,642 Vikrant Parsai quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) ## More Animal quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. 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He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. 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Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you want to destroy your enemy, give him an elephant as a gift.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Vikrant Parsai" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/if-you-want-to-destroy-your-enemy-give-him-an-elephant-as-a-gift/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Animal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/if-you-want-to-destroy-your-enemy-give-him-an-elephant-as-a-gift/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/vikrant-parsai-70_animal_if-you-want-to-destroy-your-enemy-give-h_452995.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/vikrant-parsai-70_animal_if-you-want-to-destroy-your-enemy-give-h_452995.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b5/vikrant-parsai-70_animal_if-you-want-to-destroy-your-enemy-give-h_452995.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you want to destroy your enemy, give him an elephant as a gift.” — Vikrant Parsai", "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": "Vikrant Parsai", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you want to destroy your...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/if-you-want-to-destroy-your-enemy-give-him-an-elephant-as-a-gift/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/if-you-want-to-destroy-your-enemy-give-him-an-elephant-as-a-gift/#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 } } ] } ```