Asian Quote by Walter M. Miller, Jr
“What's to be believed? Or does it matter at all? When mass murder's been answered with mass murder, rape with rape, hate with hate, there's no longer much meaning in asking whose ax is bloodier. Evil, on evil, piled on evil. Was there any justification in our 'police action' in space? How can we know? Certainly there was no justification for what they did - or was there? We only know what that thing says, and that thing is a captive. The Asian radio has to say what will least displease it's government; ours has to say what will least displease our fine patriotic opinionated rabble, which is what, coincidentally, the government wants it to say anyhow, so where's the difference?”
About This Quote
Source Novel: A Canticle for Leibowitz, 1960
The quote questions the moral justification of violence and the cyclical nature of evil, suggesting that endless retaliation erodes meaning and truth.
In simple terms: Violence be itself, making justification impossible.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the futility of endless retaliation.
Themes
morality
violence
justice
truth
politics
Mood
cynical
reflective
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- war
- political discourse
- media analysis
- human rights activism
Key Concepts
ethical relativism
cycle of revenge
propaganda
Questions to Reflect On
- Can any action be truly justified in a cycle of evil?
- How does propaganda shape our moral judgments?
A Different Perspective
The perspective may overlook the possibility of principled resistance or defensive action.
![“When people in government [make mistakes], they don't say, those people in the government. They say, we've got a problem to solve.” quote by Dar Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/274/dar-williams-3902_failure_when-people-in-government-make-mistakes_2472092.jpg)
