"I believe that the purpose for which I and my fellow soldiers entered upon this war should have been so clearly stated as to have made it impossible to change them, and that, had this been done, the objects which actuated us would now be attainable by negotiation"
- Siegfried Sassoon
About this Quote
In this quote, Siegfried Sassoon reveals his belief that the reason for going to war must have been clearly defined from the beginning. He thinks that if this had actually been done, it would have been impossible for the goals to be altered. He likewise suggests that if the purpose of the war had actually been clearly specified, the objectives that inspired him and his fellow soldiers would have been achievable through settlement rather than through violence and bloodshed. This quote highlights the significance of clear communication and transparency in matters of war and the effects that can develop when these aspects are lacking.
"What is real is not the external form, but the essence of things... it is impossible for anyone to express anything essentially real by imitating its exterior surface"
"The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at and repair"
"There are no rules and regulations for perfect composition. If there were we would be able to put all the information into a computer and would come out with a masterpiece. We know that's impossible. You have to compose by the seat of your pants"
