--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But you know, the system almost destroyed…" description: "\"But you know, the system almost destroyed itself while it was goin' on trying to destroy us.\" — Waylon Jennings" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c64/waylon-jennings-8045_destroy_but-you-know-the-system-almost-destroyed_2757477.jpg" --- # But you know, the system almost destroyed itself while it… ![“But you know, the system almost destroyed itself while it was goin' on trying to destroy us.” quote by Waylon Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c64/waylon-jennings-8045_destroy_but-you-know-the-system-almost-destroyed_2757477.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c64/waylon-jennings-8045_destroy_but-you-know-the-system-almost-destroyed_2757477.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c64/waylon-jennings-8045_destroy_but-you-know-the-system-almost-destroyed_2757477.jpg) > “But you know, the system almost destroyed itself while it was goin' on trying to destroy us.” [Waylon Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waylon-jennings/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He reflects that the system nearly self‑destructed while attempting to destroy us. **In simple terms:** The system nearly destroyed itself trying to destroy us. Key Takeaway Recognize systemic self‑destruction. Themes politics systemic failure resistance Mood cautious critical Type political historical When to use this quote - activism - policy analysis - historical study Key Concepts government overreach social upheaval Questions to Reflect On - What caused the system’s collapse? - How can we prevent self‑destruction? A Different Perspective Self‑destruction may be exaggerated. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Destroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroy/) [Destroyed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroyed/) [Destroyed Goin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroyed-goin-3145399/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Know Destroyed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-destroyed-3145400/) [System](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/system/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Trying Destroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-destroy-1237337/) [Us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/us/) ## Related quotes > [“People are douche bags. Many people. Not all. But you know, most. 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The whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/people-have-been-trying-to-destroy-fear-trying-to-destroy-anger/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [She wanted, with her fickleness, to make my destruction constant; I want, by trying to destroy myself, to satisfy her desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-cervantes/she-wanted-with-her-fickleness-to-make-my-destruction-constant-i-want/) [Miguel de Cervantes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-cervantes/) > [“Trying to destroy yourself gives a pretty clear message and it's not one I think you'd like. 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Blows come in psychological form, ripping through my defences, tearing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-boyle/there-is-no-doubt-about-it-these-animals-are-trying-to-destroy-me/) [Jimmy Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-boyle/) > [Painting is something that cannot be destroyed, it must destroy itself to reinvent itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-fautrier/painting-is-something-that-cannot-be-destroyed-it-must-destroy-itself/) [Jean Fautrier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-fautrier/) ## More by Waylon Jennings > [I say, Lord, do right be me, I'm tired of being lonesome, on'ry, and mean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waylon-jennings/i-say-lord-do-right-be-me-i-m-tired-of-being-lonesome-on-ry-and-mean/) [Waylon Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waylon-jennings/) > [Lately I've heard rumors that the eagle may be lame. Just because I've been idle, don't mean that I'm tame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waylon-jennings/lately-i-ve-heard-rumors-that-the-eagle-may-be-lame-just-because-i-ve/) [Waylon Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waylon-jennings/) > [Now, I was on drugs, and that didn't help a whole lot. He hated that. That was part of where Chet and I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waylon-jennings/now-i-was-on-drugs-and-that-didn-t-help-a-whole-lot-he-hated-that/) [Waylon Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waylon-jennings/) > [What bothers me most is that I don't bother you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waylon-jennings/what-bothers-me-most-is-that-i-don-t-bother-you/) [Waylon Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waylon-jennings/) > [Maybe it's time we got back to the basics of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waylon-jennings/maybe-it-s-time-we-got-back-to-the-basics-of-love/) [Waylon Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waylon-jennings/) > [The only problem was I needed to use my own group, and things didn't happen until I did. 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I like to perform every once in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waylon-jennings/i-was-king-of-the-mountain-for-a-long-time-well-i-don-t-want-that-no/) [Waylon Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waylon-jennings/) > [He gave us all a mind to think with and to know what's right or wrong, he is that inner spirit that keeps us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waylon-jennings/he-gave-us-all-a-mind-to-think-with-and-to-know-what-s-right-or-wrong/) [Waylon Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waylon-jennings/) > [Besides that, I felt guilty. I thought for some reason... I was alive, and Buddy and those boys were dead, and I didn't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waylon-jennings/besides-that-i-felt-guilty-i-thought-for-some-reason-i-was-alive-and/) [Waylon Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waylon-jennings/) > [I never have any problem getting enthusiastic with a good song and a good band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waylon-jennings/i-never-have-any-problem-getting-enthusiastic-with-a-good-song-and-a/) [Waylon Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waylon-jennings/) > [I sat at a bar having a beer trying to hold down the stool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waylon-jennings/i-sat-at-a-bar-having-a-beer-trying-to-hold-down-the-stool/) [Waylon Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waylon-jennings/) > [The villains have turned into heroes. The heroes have turned into heals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waylon-jennings/the-villains-have-turned-into-heroes-the-heroes-have-turned-into-heals/) [Waylon Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waylon-jennings/) > [Did ole Hank really do it this way?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waylon-jennings/did-ole-hank-really-do-it-this-way/) [Waylon Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waylon-jennings/) [Explore all 85 Waylon Jennings quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waylon-jennings/) ## More Destroy quotes > [“That would be just like me-ruin everything, destroy the world, in a moment of klutziness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/that-would-be-just-like-me-ruin-everything-destroy-the-world-in-a/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) > [We shall fight against them, throw them in prisons and destroy them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/we-shall-fight-against-them-throw-them-in-prisons-and-destroy-them/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [We do not know which irresponsible Israeli prime minister will take office and decide to use nuclear weapons in the struggle against neighboring Arab…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordechai-vanunu/we-do-not-know-which-irresponsible-israeli-prime-minister-will-take/) [Mordechai Vanunu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordechai-vanunu/) > [How could you justify giving Holland twice the amount of money that you gave Belgium? Well, finally, I put it up to them. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-averell-harriman/how-could-you-justify-giving-holland-twice-the-amount-of-money-that/) [W. Averell Harriman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-averell-harriman/) > [“He who can destroy a thing has the real control of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/he-who-can-destroy-a-thing-has-the-real-control-of-it/) [Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/) > [Destroy gossip by ignoring it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariane-corbito/destroy-gossip-by-ignoring-it/) [Mariane Corbito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariane-corbito/) > [When I became successful, I put up a caution. 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