“Heroism at command, this senseless violence, this accursed bombast of patriotism – how intensely I despise them! War is low and despicable, and I had rather be smitten to shreds than participate in such doings.”
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Source: What I Believe (1930)
About this quote
This source-reviewed Einstein quotation develops a complete idea around heroism, command, senseless. The wording "Heroism at command, this senseless violence, this accursed bombast of…" is tied to What I Believe (1930), so readers can connect its themes of creativity and justice to a documented context rather than a detached slogan.
When to use it
- Use "Heroism at command, this senseless violence, this accursed bombast of…" in a creativity discussion, then ask which concrete claim the wording makes.
- Compare its treatment of heroism with command in a lesson, essay, or editorial note before drawing a conclusion.
- When publishing or narrating it, retain the documented source trail to What I Believe (1930) so the quotation stays connected to its original context.