"War is a quarrel between two thieves too cowardly to fight their own battle"
- Thomas Carlyle
About this Quote
This quote by Thomas Carlyle is a commentary on the nature of war. He is suggesting that war is a result of two sides being too cowardly to fight their own fights. Instead of facing their own issues, they select to combat each other. This is a criticism of war, as it implies that it is a cowardly act. It likewise indicates that war is a result of an absence of guts and an absence of willingness to deal with one's own issues.
Carlyle is suggesting that war is a result of a lack of guts and a lack of determination to face one's own issues. He is implying that war is an afraid act, which it is an outcome of 2 sides being too scared to face their own battles. He is likewise suggesting that war is a result of a lack of communication and understanding in between two sides.
Overall, this quote by Thomas Carlyle is a criticism of war and a commentary on the nature of war. He is recommending that war is an outcome of 2 sides being too afraid to eliminate their own fights, and that it is a result of a lack of courage and an absence of desire to face one's own concerns. He is indicating that war is an afraid act, which it is an outcome of an absence of interaction and understanding in between 2 sides.
"In fact men will fight for a superstition quite as quickly as for a living truth - often more so, since a superstition is so intangible you cannot get at it to refute it, but truth is a point of view, and so is changeable"