---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: gun is an impersonal weapon and kills…"
description: "\"“gun is an impersonal weapon and kills cleanly and decently at a distance. Killing with the bare hands at close quarters savours too much of pure savag..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fe/w-e-fairbairn-57446_quote_gun-is-an-impersonal-weapon-and-kills-cl_1667186.jpg"
---

#  gun is an impersonal weapon and kills cleanly and decently…

![“gun is an impersonal weapon and kills cleanly and decently at a distance. Killing with the bare hands at close quarters savours too much of pure savagery for most people.” quote by W.E. Fairbairn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fe/w-e-fairbairn-57446_quote_gun-is-an-impersonal-weapon-and-kills-cl_1667186.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fe/w-e-fairbairn-57446_quote_gun-is-an-impersonal-weapon-and-kills-cl_1667186.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fe/w-e-fairbairn-57446_quote_gun-is-an-impersonal-weapon-and-kills-cl_1667186.jpg)

> ““gun is an impersonal weapon and kills cleanly and decently at a distance. Killing with the bare hands at close quarters savours too much of pure savagery for most people.””

[W.E. Fairbairn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-fairbairn/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Violence with firearms creates emotional distance, making killing feel less personal than close‑quarter combat.

**In simple terms:** Guns detach the killer from the act.

Key Takeaway

Recognize how distance changes moral perception.

Themes

violence morality psychology

Mood

somber reflective

Type

ethical philosophical

When to use this quote

- military training
- law enforcement
- personal safety discussions

Key Concepts

detachment dehumanization combat ethics

Questions to Reflect On

- Does distance truly lessen responsibility?
- Can society accept impersonal killing?

A Different Perspective

The emotional impact of killing may still be profound despite distance.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Amendment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amendment/) [Gun Impersonal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun-impersonal-820360/) [Impersonal Weapon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impersonal-weapon-820361/) [Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing/) [Weapon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weapon/) [Weapon Kills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weapon-kills-820362/)

## Related quotes

> [Like most rights, the Second Amendment right is not unlimited... It is not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/like-most-rights-the-second-amendment-right-is-not-unlimited-it-is/)

[Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/)

> [I'm a firm believer in the Second Amendment and the Bill of Rights. I don't think you should infringe on the type of weapon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-e-gomez/i-m-a-firm-believer-in-the-second-amendment-and-the-bill-of-rights-i/)

[Gabriel E. Gomez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-e-gomez/)

> [The people that are proposing banning assault weapons, well, first of all they're already banned. Assault weapon is a fully automatic, those are already…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-johnson/the-people-that-are-proposing-banning-assault-weapons-well-first-of/)

[Ron Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-johnson/)

> [We have to be concerned about the gun killing that people who are Americans, who are Irish, and who are English, who are all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalia-mogahed/we-have-to-be-concerned-about-the-gun-killing-that-people-who-are/)

[Dalia Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalia-mogahed/)

> [Let me make a point here, in case this isn't becoming extremely clear. My state has gun control laws. It did not keep Hennard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanna-hupp/let-me-make-a-point-here-in-case-this-isn-t-becoming-extremely-clear/)

[Suzanna Hupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanna-hupp/)

> [I don't think anybody who carries a rifle carries the future. Because I don't believe that you can really change the world by killing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/i-don-t-think-anybody-who-carries-a-rifle-carries-the-future-because/)

[Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/)

> [“It reminded him of that definition of his father's. A weapon is a device for making your enemy change his mind. The mind was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/it-reminded-him-of-that-definition-of-his-father-s-a-weapon-is-a/)

[Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/)

> [“there was no way that weapon of mass destruction was going to work its way inside my body.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-crownover/there-was-no-way-that-weapon-of-mass-destruction-was-going-to-work/)

[Jay Crownover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-crownover/)

> [Swearing's my release. It's the one weapon I have to defend myself against destiny when it elects to strike without pity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-pirlo/swearing-s-my-release-it-s-the-one-weapon-i-have-to-defend-myself/)

[Andrea Pirlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-pirlo/)

> [The engine of the tank is a weapon just as the main-gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-guderian/the-engine-of-the-tank-is-a-weapon-just-as-the-main-gun/)

[Heinz Guderian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-guderian/)

> [It's exciting for me that when they think of tall players they think of big serve and forehand but they don't move that well.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-draper/it-s-exciting-for-me-that-when-they-think-of-tall-players-they-think/)

[Jack Draper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-draper/)

> [Nonviolence is a weapon of the strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nonviolence-is-a-weapon-of-the-strong/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The euro is not a currency. It is a political weapon to force countries to implement the policies decided by the E.U. and keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marine-le-pen/the-euro-is-not-a-currency-it-is-a-political-weapon-to-force/)

[Marine Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marine-le-pen/)

> [Your greatest weapon is your enemies mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddha/your-greatest-weapon-is-your-enemies-mind/)

[Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddha/)

> [A wall is a very big weapon. It's one of the nastiest things you can hit someone with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banksy/a-wall-is-a-very-big-weapon-it-s-one-of-the-nastiest-things-you-can/)

[Banksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banksy/)

## More by W.E. Fairbairn

> [“This defence can only be achieved by killing or disabling the enemy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-fairbairn/this-defence-can-only-be-achieved-by-killing-or-disabling-the-enemy/)

[W.E. Fairbairn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-fairbairn/)

> [“No-one will dispute the effectiveness of a straight left or a right hook to the jaw or body, but unfortunately it takes months of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-fairbairn/no-one-will-dispute-the-effectiveness-of-a-straight-left-or-a-right/)

[W.E. Fairbairn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-fairbairn/)

> [“But it must be realized that, when dealing with an utterly ruthless enemy who has clearly expressed his intention of wiping this nation out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-fairbairn/but-it-must-be-realized-that-when-dealing-with-an-utterly-ruthless/)

[W.E. Fairbairn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-fairbairn/)

> [“The edge of the hand blow and the chin jab, if applied as demonstrated in this manual, will quickly convince the student that in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-fairbairn/the-edge-of-the-hand-blow-and-the-chin-jab-if-applied-as-demonstrated/)

[W.E. Fairbairn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-fairbairn/)

> [“It will soon be found that the principal value of the training lies not so much in the actual physical holds or breaks, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-fairbairn/it-will-soon-be-found-that-the-principal-value-of-the-training-lies/)

[W.E. Fairbairn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-fairbairn/)

[Explore all 6 W.E. Fairbairn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-fairbairn/)

## More Amendment quotes

> [There are a lot of people who want to retain the Eighth Amendment - I don't agree with that view myself - there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-varadkar/there-are-a-lot-of-people-who-want-to-retain-the-eighth-amendment-i/)

[Leo Varadkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-varadkar/)

> [“Let's just make this easy. I'm in favor of a Constitutional amendment that would read something like this: 'Neither the federal government, nor any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/let-s-just-make-this-easy-i-m-in-favor-of-a-constitutional-amendment/)

[Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/)

> [If you reduce the guns and the ammo, you'll reduce the murders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/if-you-reduce-the-guns-and-the-ammo-you-ll-reduce-the-murders/)

[Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/)

> [Gun control laws don't work. What is worse, they act perversely. While legitimate users of firearms encounter intense regulation, scrutiny and bureaucratic control, illicit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-polsby/gun-control-laws-don-t-work-what-is-worse-they-act-perversely-while/)

[Daniel D. Polsby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-d-polsby/)

> [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/)

[Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/)

> [This separation was absolute in our original Republic. But the sky-godders do not give up easily. In the 1950s they actually got the phrase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/this-separation-was-absolute-in-our-original-republic-but-the-sky/)

[Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/)

> [Guns aren't the problem; sick people are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/guns-aren-t-the-problem-sick-people-are/)

[Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/)

> [The proliferation of right-to-carry laws throughout the states has drawn plaintive complaints from the criminal element. They feel that it makes their profession too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/the-proliferation-of-right-to-carry-laws-throughout-the-states-has/)

[Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/)

> [Gun violence has cost us too many political leaders, and hardly ever the worst ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/gun-violence-has-cost-us-too-many-political-leaders-and-hardly-ever/)

[P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/)

> [I don't think anybody who carries a rifle carries the future. Because I don't believe that you can really change the world by killing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/i-don-t-think-anybody-who-carries-a-rifle-carries-the-future-because/)

[Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/)

> [“my folks wouldn't read a book if you put a gun to their dicks. but they read people all day long and always get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-conroy/my-folks-wouldn-t-read-a-book-if-you-put-a-gun-to-their-dicks-but/)

[Pat Conroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-conroy/)

> [Anybody who pretends that how you read the 10th and 11th Amendment doesn't have a fundamental impact on the things we care about is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/anybody-who-pretends-that-how-you-read-the-10th-and-11th-amendment/)

[Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/)

> [I think we have two conflicting traditions in this country. I think it's important for us to recognize that we've got a tradition of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-we-have-two-conflicting-traditions-in-this-country-i-think-it/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [Country lyrics often reference the NRA and firearms ownership as a way of life. Artists such as John Rich, Toby Keith, Sara Evans and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-pavlich/country-lyrics-often-reference-the-nra-and-firearms-ownership-as-a/)

[Katie Pavlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-pavlich/)

> [“People who have attended Concealed Carry classes, and those already licensed, typically seem to demonstrate a higher degree of courtesy, responsibility and respect. Interestingly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-behr/people-who-have-attended-concealed-carry-classes-and-those-already/)

[Gary Behr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-behr/)

[Browse all 2,041 Amendment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amendment/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“gun is an impersonal weapon and kills cleanly and decently at a distance. Killing with the bare hands at close quarters savours too much of pure savagery for most people.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "W.E. Fairbairn"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-fairbairn/gun-is-an-impersonal-weapon-and-kills-cleanly-and-decently-at-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Amendment"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-fairbairn/gun-is-an-impersonal-weapon-and-kills-cleanly-and-decently-at-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fe/w-e-fairbairn-57446_quote_gun-is-an-impersonal-weapon-and-kills-cl_1667186.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fe/w-e-fairbairn-57446_quote_gun-is-an-impersonal-weapon-and-kills-cl_1667186.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fe/w-e-fairbairn-57446_quote_gun-is-an-impersonal-weapon-and-kills-cl_1667186.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“gun is an impersonal weapon and kills cleanly and decently at a distance. Killing with the bare hands at…” — W.E. Fairbairn",
                "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": "W.E. Fairbairn",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-fairbairn/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“gun is an impersonal weapon and...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-fairbairn/gun-is-an-impersonal-weapon-and-kills-cleanly-and-decently-at-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-fairbairn/gun-is-an-impersonal-weapon-and-kills-cleanly-and-decently-at-a/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
