The American intellectuals, in their preoccupation with reality, seem to have forgotten that the real enemy is War rather than imperial Germany. There is work to be done to prevent this war of ours from passing into popular mythology as a holy crusade. What shall we do with leaders who tell us that we go to war in moral spotlessness or who make “democracy” synonymous with a republican form of government? . Randolph Bourne
About This Quote

In this quote from a speech given by George Orwell at the University of Chicago, he touches upon the popular tendency to glorify war. He makes the point that there is a difference between a “holy crusade” and a military conflict. He states that because these wars are fought in the name of a higher cause, they should not be glorified as much as those wars fought for a more practical purpose.

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  1. Really to believe in human nature while striving to know the thousand forces that warp it from its ideal development-to call for and expect much from men and women, and not to be disappointed and embittered if they fall short- to try to do good...
  2. War is the health of the state.
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  4. For we do not do what we want to do, but what is easiest and most natural for us to do, and if it is easy for us to do the wrong thing, it is that that we will do.
  5. So to all who are situated as I am, I would say-- Grow up as fast as you can.
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