“Kekerasan adalah senjata orang yang jiwanya lemah.”
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Probable attribution
This saying is widely associated with Mahatma Gandhi, but the attribution is not supported by a reliable primary source.
Likely origin: Indonesian paraphrase echoing Gandhi's genuine teaching that nonviolence is the weapon of the strong
About this quote
Reaching for force is often a sign that patience, argument, and self-command have run out. Real strength shows in the restraint to hold a position without striking — anyone can lash out, but staying nonviolent under provocation takes a steadiness most people find far harder than a fist.
When to use it
- A driver cut off in traffic breathes and lets it go instead of chasing down the other car.
- During a heated meeting, a manager lowers her voice rather than shouting down the room.
- A teenager walks away from a schoolyard taunt instead of throwing the first punch.